Dawn
by Pegasus6644
Summary: When the Flock spend the night in Forks, Edward attacks Max, and she transforms into a vampire to avoid death. Meanwhile, the Volturi helps Itex rebuild itself, to attack the Cullens with every means nessisary. Bad summary, but GREAT Story. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, guys. Second fanfic here. This is a sequel, kind of, from my earlier story DEAD, I've gotten a lot of reviews saying I should write a sequel, so…here it is! This story is about how, one night, Max, Fang and the flock rest in a little town called Forks, Washington. When, Edward, and Emmett stumble upon the flock. Except, they're hunting. Since they're in full hunting mode, the **_**accidently **_**hurt Max. And as she heals, the love hormones start to run wild with Edward…. But don't worry, this story isn't bad in any way (except occational cussing, and totally awesome fight scenes, just like the book!)**

NOW ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I love doing that!)

Max's POV

You may not know this, but running—or flying, in my case—away from an imperial disaster isn't a lovely picnic, let me tell you.

I sucked in air, going all out full speed, but it wasn't enough. This _thing _was still behind me, and to my horror, it was gaining on me. Its Fingernails were caked with gore, and its eyes resembled the blood spewing out of its mouth. His pale skin glittered, though sunlight was scarce. His hair had a pretty color, but it's beauty was obscured by the ferocious growl coming from its snarling lips. In back of my mind, I wondered whether it lived in a place where manicures or trendy nail salons couldn't be found. I swear, I'm going ADD faster than I can freaking _fly. _But what was so strange about this demon, was that it didn't have wings. But, somehow, it continued to stay airborne six thousand feet above sea level.

I looked ahead of me, searching for a an escape, something to slow him down, anything, but apparently God, (if there is a God, mind you) didn't feel like humoring me today.

All in all, this who cat-chasing-mouse thing pretty much sucked. And I was _so _tired of it.

I know what you're thinking: Where's the flock? Where's the beautiful and creepily silent Fang? Where were Iggy and Gazzy, with their never-ending stash of bombs? Where was the motor mouth, Nudge? She could probably kill the idiot behind me just by talking to him about fashion designers, for crying out loud! Where is the scary Angel, who could probably make this bozo run itself head first into the ocean below—

And that's when it hit me. _The ocean._

Without a second thought, I dived, streaking like a bullet at over two hundred and sixty miles an hour toward the humongous blue mass below me, which was getting larger by the second. I risked a quick glance behind me, and almost screamed.

Somehow, this hulking disaster followed me with almost perfect precision, and it was so close I could see its sickly yellow pupil, which was constricted. Frantically, I looked back, and only had a split second to straighten my figure out before the water hit me full in the face with a resounding splash.

I must admit, I was _totally _relieved. That demon, or whatever it was, couldn't find me here. It's probably dead, thank god. I looked around in the water, trying to get my bearings—how deep I was, or if there was any curious sharks around, for instance—when I felt something grab my ankle. _That's _when I screamed.

But the thing is, no one can hear you, when you're one hundred feet below water. _No one can hear you_ in the middle of Freaking Nowhere, U.S.A….

"Ahh!" I woke, breathing hard, as if I'd flown one hundred miles at one hundred and twenty miles an hour. My chest heaving, I gulped, sat up, and looked around. No one seemed to have moved, Thank God.

Except Fang, of course. His dark eyes were wide open, his piercing gaze staring into my deep brown ones. His black wings glittered in the firelight.

"Why are you up so late?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. "Its two o'clock in the morning."

He looked back at me impassively. "I have second watch."

"Oh."

Suddenly he got up, and in one bound, sat beside me. Hesitantly, he put an arm around my shoulders, and I shuddered. Just as hesitantly, I put my head on his shoulders, and sighed.

"Bad dream again?" He looked concerned, and I closed my eyes.

"The same one."

He sighed, but didn't comment.

I know what you're thinking. Knowing all of your humanly human minds, you're all wondering: Max?! What are you doing?! You're supposed to be tough as nails, as hard as stone! Why are you cuddled up against Fang like some lovesick dweeb?

I've been asking myself the same thing.

But, after you're killed, all of those emotions just kind of spew out.

Yes, I was killed. By Ari, of course. I dropped two hundred feet, with a knife sticking out of my belly. Yeah, it was pretty gross. And hurt like hell. But, I was caught, and Iggy dropped me down to the jungle floor, where I got all teary, telling Fang how much I loved him. And I found out, get this, that he loved me back.

Then I died.

But the weird thing was, I was still there. I was literally out of my body, like the freaking Ghost of Christmas Past. I could see everything that was happening around me. Fang was tortured. It hurt _so much _as I saw Fang hurling his shovel at the tree as he buried me. I couldn't do anything to make his pain go away.

Then, the annoying Voice popped in my head, with the Confucius soul crap again, like, _Make them believe in you, and you'll be free _blah blah blah. But, I tried. I talked to Fang, telling him what was happening, _that he needed to get it together, _and all. And…he heard me. He believed in me.

And somehow, soon, everyone did too. And with a clumsy alliance with Max II, I was free. I was alive.

Though it only happened a couple weeks ago, I feel as if it happened _years _ago.

"Go to sleep." He murmured in my ear, stroking my hair.

And against my will, my eyes started to close, and my head dropped on his shoulder again.

And before I was out, I remembered the cold figure in my dream.

The pale one.


	2. Chapter 2

Yo. So, I was looking at my reviews, when something suddenly hit me. I didn't _ask_ you to review! At all! And in DEAD, I asked you to review, like, two times a page! Sorry, guys. So, please, please, PLEASE, review. Say what you like. I want to know what my readers are thinking. I actually look forward to the reviews more than I do for Christmas presents! Yeah, I know. I'm crazy. So, anyways…

**REVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEW!!!!!!!**

**NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Max's POV

Waking up to something, like say, six mutants moaning and groaning about how much their life sucked, just doesn't brighten my mood. Just FYI.

Of course, even _I _wasn't fully awake yet. Actually, I was still dozing on Fang's shoulder until he pushed me off. Yeah, I know. Pretty subtle, huh? As silent as a deer, he crept over and tapped Iggy with two fingers on his shoulder. And before Iggy stood up, I was knocked out again.

And now I was awake, listening to, six mutant avian hybrids moaning and groaning about how much their life sucked. Sound familiar, anyone.

I sat up, doing a quick three-hundred-and-sixty degree scan, making sure the coast was clear. But it was pretty much a wasted gesture.

We, that is to say, my flock and me, hadn't seen hide nor hair of a flyboy for weeks. Or those creepy soldiers of that Hamster box, the Uber-Director. But I stayed on my guard, just waiting.

'Cause I _know _something will going to happen.

"Max?" Nudge whined.

I rubbed my temples, already dreading the motormouth. "What?" I asked warily.

"Where are we going today? I mean, we've been pretty much everywhere. I was thinking Los Angeles, or maybe Chicago. That'll be so cool, and we'll see all of those shopping malls. I was looking on the internet, and—" One look from me and she shut her mouth quick.

"I have a plan." I told her firmly. I _really _need to get this whole lying thing under control.

I pulled out a dusty, crinkly old map mom gave us on our last visit. I scanned it, frowning, as big cities in their bold lettering popped into my eyesight. "Hmm."

I didn't really want to go somewhere that'll attract a whole lot of attention. 'Cause New York for the flock and Los Angeles for Fang, Iggy, And the Gasman just went _so well._

I bent down, searching hard. Of course, I didn't want to be in Siberia or anything, (Antarctica kind of ruined my whole perspective of _peace and quiet, _you know?) but I wanted to be in a remote town, close to a big city, but not huge—

And then I found it. This dinky town was so miniscule that even I had trouble seeing. I cracked a smile.

I just can't _wait _to drop down in a town named after dinner utensils!

Fang's POV

"Max."

She looked over, and I looked into her deep brown eyes. "What?"

I looked down, not answering. Everything was green. I mean, _everything. _The roads, the land, heck, even the cars. "What are you getting yourself into?"

Her eyes widened. "What are you talking about? This place has coverage; it's smaller than Central park, and close to Seattle. So if we need to scram, we're, like, an hour away." She put her hands on her hips, which looked cute, though we were…twenty thousand feet above the ground.

I shook my head, "But _why?_ We don't need to run anymore. We're safe." You'd say the same thing if you hadn't seen any Eraserfied robots for weeks. Or _real _erasers. Or a mixture of both.

"We just…have to be on guard, Fang. I thought you of all people will understand. We _can't _take any vacations when half the world was trying to kill us a few months ago."

She looked into my eyes, pleading for me to understand. I nodded. And looked over my shoulders. I froze. Max must have noticed because she said, "Stop, guys!" and looked over. "Fang?"

And I said one word. Only one. "Flyboys."

'**Kay, guys, I know its kind of short, but the next one will be longer, I promise! Please, please, **_**please, **_**review for me. PLEASE**

**REVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys. When I asked you guys to review, I wasn't, like, yelling or anything. I didn't want you to get a bad vibe from my little author's note again. I'm sorry. I just really feel good to get a lot of nice reviews, like for DEAD. You should read them. They're great. Oh, and I'm also sorry if I'm acting all whiny. Okay, one reviewer asked me to start from Fang's POV (I think) so, here goes!

NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fang's POV

Forget what I said about relaxing. 'Cause we _can't _relax. Not us. If someone would like, say, _Oh, hey! We've got a totally decked out private sweet in Hawaii with a whole bunch of those luau dancers, and we've decided to give it to you! _

What would we say? _Oh, sorry! Can't exactly take any brakes if you've been slated to die for everyday of your miserable fourteen years. Give it to someone more needy than us, like Bill Gates!_

I don't think so.

Dimly, I saw Max's eyes widen as I looked for any escape routes. I looked down at the trees, and saw Max do the same.

"This is bad." Gazzy screamed.

"Uh, you _think?" _Iggy asked sarcastically. "Even _I _know what's happening without you guys bothering to tell me!" He looked at me. "We're being attacked by some outlandish force which we have no hope for escaping from, right?" His face was mocking, but his pale blue eyes were dead serious.

Emphasis on the word, _Dead_.

I looked down again, searching desperately.

"Uh, Fang?"

God just had to make Nudge a motor mouth when we're about to die.

"The Flyboys can't make any, like, decisions for themselves, right? So, like, why can't we swerve through the trees? You know, like we practiced at home?" Her big brown eyes looked at me trustingly.

That was an idea…

I looked over at Max, and her eyes found mine. That special communication between us zapped through me like a bolt of lightening. She nodded.

And tucked in her wings, diving to the trees at one hundred and thirty miles an hour, yelling, "Wind through the trees! But _stay together! _ Let's move, move, move!"

And, in unison, we all tucked in our wings and dived.

Max's POV

Almost immediately, I felt the rest of the flock closing in, right on my tail. I glanced behind me, and let out a stream of profanities. The flyboys were gaining. I looked at the trees, which were growing like…like…okay, I don't know, but they were getting larger really freaking fast, man.

And at once, the trees closed around us, dark, forbidding, and just downright spooky.

Ha ha! I heard a flyboy crash sickeningly into the trees. And another. And another. It seemed like the whole fleet just shorted out, there and then.

But a couple were smart, dang it.

About twenty or so skimmed over the trees, their red eyes gleaming menacingly, their metallic claws outstretched.

"We should stop!" Angel yelled. I looked over my shoulder. Angel weaved through the trees, her eyes trained on me. I nodded. Looking ahead, I saw a nice, cute little clearing.

"'Kay, guys, this is it!" I shouted as I skidded to a halt. Iggy bumped into me. My glare had no effect on him whatsoever. _Again. _

The flyboys flew toward us, their wings beating as one. I clenched my fists, and with a roar, they crashed into us.

Fang's POV

You know, watching Max in battle is freaky. Okay, scratch that. _Really _freaky.

Her face malformed in a defiant sneer, she flitted around, kicking one flyboy at the base of its spine. Instantly, the crapoid shut down, the red lights fading from its eyes.

Watching with grim satisfaction, she then turned toward another, flying with unnatural speed with her foot in front of her, knocking the flyboy's head clean off. Well, not exactly clean, there were a bunch of wires sticking out, like back in L.A, but you get the idea.

I turned, kicking a flyboy in a place you _don't _want to be kicked, and it doubled over, which I thought was weird, because, you know, they can't exactly _feel _anything, and 'cause, they're robots.

_Oof! _A flyboy somehow managed to knife its hand into my kidney, and I doubled over in pain. Recovering, I managed a roundhouse kick to its chest, rocketing it about twenty feet back, where Gazzy threw a bomb at it, cackling.

I looked around, and as soon as it started, it was over. All the flyboys seemed to terminate, their wings folding with a mechanical _snap, _dropping like stones.

Breathing heavily, I looked around. Max had blood trickling down from some split skin by her eyes. Iggy had a big bruise by his collarbone, but had a huge grin on his pale face, slapping a high five to Gazzy, who had a split knuckle. Nudge looked pretty shaken, her knee scraped, but otherwise looked fine. And Angel…

My head swiveled, and I heard Max come over next to me. "She's down there," Max whispered, pointing toward the clearing below us. My heart practically stuttering with relief I looked down below me.

And despite myself, gasped.

Max's POV

You may not know this, but I don't like anything, let's say, _not natural._ Man-made stuff, you know? But something so beautiful, _naturally_, is more beautiful than it should be, really.

That's what I was looking at.

It was spring, around April (I haven't looked at a calendar in forever; I don't have any idea what day this is) and all of the flowers were blooming, fiery reds, pinks, and yellows. The space was wide open, and…huh. Exactly circular. There was a small stream to the side, which made my insides turn out, thinking of Anne's. But this place was better. More…innocent somehow.

I looked over. Everyone had landed beside Angel, who was crouched by the steam, washing her hands, dipping her hair into it. She turned and smiled. "You've got to try this."

"We all need a bath, sweetie." I smiled back, and turned to Iggy. "Ig, you're in charge 'till me and Fang get back."

He looked toward me. "And you're leaving because…"

I rolled my eyes uselessly. "Because, me and Fang have to check the perimeter, see how far we are from our destination.:"

And without a word, I spread my downy wings, and leaped from the ground.

Fang's POV

Without a word, I took off after her, my eyes narrowed against the rain. Yes, on top of everything, it had started _to rain. _Stupid town.

Max turned suddenly, and with quiet surprise, I followed.

"We should stay there." She turned toward me, her eyebrows raised.

"Where?"

"At that clearing, genius." She rolled her eyes. "Think about it, Max. That clearing can't be seen. Easy to disappear into the trees and stuff if we need to hide. It has water. Plus, a few minutes from town if we need anything." Even my logic astounds me.

She sighed, shaking your head. "I guess…I guess we have to. The kids need a break, and frankly, I wouldn't mind a good bath either." She turned. "We'll finish the recon, and rest for the night. God knows we need it."

I nodded.

We swooped around in silence, low enough to see the town, but high enough not to be seen _by _the town. Suddenly, she stopped in midair.

"This is it." She said with faint surprise. She glided down, and landed in front of a dopey sign, saying the name of the town.

I sighed. We're staying in a town that's named after dinner utensils?

Yet the sign confirmed it.

WELCOME TO FORKS, WASHINGTON

THE CUTEST TOWN IN THE OLIMPIC PENNINSULA

Told you it was long!

Please review…please


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! Thanks for all of the reviews (all eight of them) and I thank all of the people who put me on their story alerts and favorites list! But, if this story can get more reviews, more people will be interested in it! So PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Max's POV

"I really like this place, Max." Angel tugged on my shoulder, her face lit up in the firelight. "Can't we stay?" Her bright, blue eyes

For some reason, a lump formed in my throat. Stupid little hormoney emotions.

I swallowed. "I like this place too, baby." My voice came out in a whisper.

I looked around at my flock. We were all roasting weenies (no sniggering, thank you) over the fire, and for the first time and a freaking _long _time, my flock was clean, rested, and happy.

Fang sat next to me, slowly turning his hot dog so it would cook evenly. He looked over at me, and flashed a smile. My heart sped up, like I was hyperventilating.

We sat there for a long time, just eating and talking. Iggy sat close to Nudge, who seemed thrilled, of course. At first, I didn't really _know _how to deal with the whole Iggy-liking-Nudge thing, but they seemed to be doing just fine.

I felt an arm wrap itself around my waist. Fang sat very close to me, and I jumped slightly, an electric spark zigzagging through my body.

I looked at him, and he looked at me. We were fine. I put my head on his shoulder, ignoring the wolf whistling from Gazzy.

We were just fine.

Fang's POV

I don't know how long me and Max stayed that way.

It seemed like so long…and so short, at the same time.

My eyes flickered around, sweeping the area for something wrong. A leaf out of place, a slight movement in the darkness around us. But it always turned out the same.

Nothing.

"Fang?" Max whispered.

I looked around, startled. I didn't realize the kids were asleep. Automatically, my body tensed on high alert. "What? What is it?" I did an automatic 360 sweep again.

Max looked at me. My heart stopped. Her face was so beautiful. My hands clenched as I remembered her broken body, her dying breath, all that blood…

Her hand touched my cheek. I looked down, and she smiled slightly. Then her forehead creased. "I'm worried."

I stared at her, completely freaked. When did Max ever admit that? Uh…_never. _Maybe once every five years. "Why? Nothing's wrong. This place is totally secluded and safe." But she shook her head, looking troubled.

"I mean, _come on_, Fang! We've been out from under the radar for weeks, and then suddenly the flyboys pop up from out of nowhere?" The pitch in her voice rose steadily. "Itex hasn't launched any of those since we destroyed its headquarters!" Comprehension dawned. "When we went to Antarctica, why didn't they attack us instead of the Uber-Director? Were they reforming, or improving…?" Her voice started to shake.

I was at a loss for words. I mean, usually I don't say anything at all, but that doesn't mean I'm completely _devoid _of saying anything. Only one thing popped in my mind, but it wasn't anything I wanted to do. "We need to go back."

Max nodded. "We need to hit them where it hurts this time. We need to get _every _Itex headquarter, not just the one in Germany."

"They won't stay there."

She looked at me, startled. "What?"

As quick as a flash, I had gotten up, and took my laptop back to Max. Flicking it open, I impatiently waited for it to load up. "You've beaten them once, Max." My words rushed out too quickly. "They know what you're capable of. They won't stay in the same place, They'll lay false trails, hold you back, anything to cloud their new existence at all."

But he looked at me grimly. "But they can't hide the fact that they haven't been exporting goods since their destruction. Companies will complain. Without Itex, the world would be completely messed up."

Quickly, I clicked on the internet, and typed quickly: _Itex. _ Max watched, her face unreadable.

A bunch of websites popped up, I scrolled down, until I found it. Max gasped. I blinked.

_Due to an explosion at our construction wing at _Itex, _we've relocated to a secrete area for the safety of the locals in the area. Our new location will open sometime in April, but we are continuing to import/export goods to cities in Europe, which can then be exported to the America's, and Asia. Thank you for your patience. _

Max's POV

"So, where are they?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. Do you think I have X-ray vision or something." I rubbed my temples.

_They're in Italy_.

My eyes flashed open. "What?"

"I didn't say anything." Fang said, confused.

I waved him off. _Where?_

I could almost hear the Voice sigh. _In Italy. They relocated, trying to throw you off._

_Why did the flyboys come, then? Did they want to give us a show? A little tap dance?_

_I don't know, Max._

Okay, _that _threw me off. The Voice singing with info? A bit annoying, but comforting. The Voice completely clueless about a world dominating country. Kind of freaks me out.

Just a little.

_But they're rebuilding. They're using the blueprints of the Uber Director's army. They're more advanced than anything you've ever experienced before. Be ready, be prepared, and go to Italy._

Fang was looking at me all weird, so I tried to end this pleasant conversation. _Where in Italy?_

_Volterra._

Is that a typo? Or did a drunk monkey figure that name? Or worse, did the person who named _Forks _name that city.

_It's the safest city in the world. The police force is strong. But there's something else there. It's so hidden I can't even figure it out, though. A large family._

_Okay. How is this relevant?_

_They're helping rebuild Itex. They're giving blood, body parts, anything. _

Okay. Hold up a sec. _Body parts? _Where would they get those? The catacombs from Rome?

I don't think so.

_Find out about this family before you take down Itex. Destroy the family, and you, ruin Itex._

And the Voice was silent.

Whatever.

"We have to go to Italy." I was already dreading the trip.

"Milan?" A voice asked. I looked over. Angel had woken up.

"No, sweetie. Some place called Volterra. We're going to Seattle in the morning." But by now, everyone was up. Ugh.

"Why?"

"The Voice. They said there was a family. They're helping rebuild Itex, and it's a strong family, whatever that means. Destroy the family, ruin Itex." I quoted.

Suddenly Angel was wide-awake. "Someone's coming." She sat up.

Iggy spoke up. "I can _feel _them." We all crowded around.

Iggy tensed up. "That's impossible…"

And without warning, something burst through the trees.

When I saw who it was, I think I almost fainted.

He was very pale, with blood on its lips, its fingers outstretched. He was totally cute, however, and his bronze hair quivered in the breeze. Another came to his size, trying to pull him back. "No…Edward …" She looked over. "Get out! He's out of control…" She desperately tried to pull him back. But the pale one was stronger.

I tried to get the kids airborne. "RUN! GET OUT OF HERE—"

And the pale one from my dream—Edward—came at me, making my world go black.

Why do they always come after me?

Okay, guys. Please tell me what you think. With so little reviews, I'm thinking of terminating this story. I don't think many people like it. So if you want this story to continue, **please review**!


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, guys. Thanks for the reviews, how many do I have now? Ten? No, wait I just got another one! YAY! Well, we're getting there, so please review! Happy New Year!**

Fang's POV

This whole thing was like dream. Or a flashback.

I could dimly hear the kids screaming, that…that _thing _snarling, with the female trying to pull it back. Suddenly I found myself yelling. "Max! GET OUT OF THERE!" She didn't seem to hear me.

I started running, shouting for Iggy to get the kids out of the way. Max had no voice, for once. She only had eyes for the pale freak, snarling as he struggled against the other one's grip. "No…Edward…" She looked over at Max. "Get out! He's out of control." The thing—Edward—was steadily breaking free from the girl's grasp.

Max seemed to wake up. She turned, her eyes searching for the flock. "RUN! GET OUT OF HERE—"

And a split second before the thing broke away, before he pounced on Max, before he threw her against the tree, breaking it in half…

She looked at me, and all the pain that welled up inside her for fourteen years seemed to show.

All in about one second. But I saw it. I started running faster.

That's when Edward pounced.

Max's POV

So I wasn't dead. That black stuff in front of me was the devil's black leather jacket. Go figure (and yes, I hate that movie. I had to watch it with Nudge and Angel, and they were, like, screaming for an encore for about two hours—never mind).

You might not know this, but when something as hard as granite collides into your chest at about one hundred miles an hour, you might break a few bones. Or, you know, your spine.

Just FYI.

We both hurtled through the air, my head snapping forward, so I was up close and personal with the creature's rancid breath. Pain shot down my spinal column as we collided into a rather sturdy tree. The wind knocked out of me, I was too dazed to even scream, which I would have done if I could. The pain from my vertebrae told me it was fractured…at least.

The super thing was perched on my chest, and he bent down, his teeth bared, toward my neck. _Oh my God, what was this? _

I tried to struggle, screaming as my spine snapped in half under the strain. I choked. And then…I was out, out, out, my last thought hoping I wasn't going to die, because, as I said, it was getting _really _stale.

Fang's POV

The girl looked over at me as Edward pounced. "Get out of here! I'll try to hold him off!" She seemed to be pleading with me. How could someone that tiny hold off a hideous demon like Edward?

I shook my head, refusing her request, because:

1. Only God would have separated me from Max.

2. Do you really expect me to run away screaming while Max is pinned to the ground? Think again, stupid.

3. I think…I think her spine snapped.

I started running faster, yelling, "What are you doing?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" But it didn't seem to affect him at all.

She ran with me, and suddenly, we were running side…and then she wasn't there. I looked ahead.

Somehow, she was already at Edward's side, snarling. _"Get off of her! Think of Carlisle!" _At the back of my mind, I wondered, what kind of name was Carlisle, as she desperately pulled at his shoulder, trying to throw him off. She seemed incredibly strong. For a moment, I saw something flash in the devil's black eyes—was it fear? Remorse? —before they turned pitch black again, nothing but hunger in his eyes. He leaned down, his teeth pearl white in the night as his snarling mouth got closer to Max's neck.

This next move will tell you all how incredibly stupid I am.

I ran at it, without a thought, and collided at his side, and surprisingly threw him off. We both slammed into a tree, where I instantly threw a punch at his temple.

And all of a sudden I was on my back. A dozen escape scenarios flew my brain, expecting him to be sitting on my chest at any moment, ready to break my neck or something, only to find him collapsed at the tree. He seemed completely freaked, his eyes wide with fright, staring at Max. He couldn't speak coherently. "What…What happened…"

"You attacked her!" The petite girl screamed. "YOU ATTACKED HER!" She looked down at Max desperately. "It's no use. She won't heal when she's like this." Her eyes were blazing. "We have to take her to Carlisle." Edward's eyes seemed to bulge. "No…can't take her….another way…"

"There is no other way! This is exactly how Esme looked when they carted her off to the morgue!"

"NO!" I scrambled to my feet, hearing the flock land beside me. "You're _not _taking her to any hospital or this Carlisle! She has a chance." I tried to pick Max up, but the girl put a regretful hand on my shoulder, her grip strong. Way too strong. Paying no attention, I looked over at Edward. He was shaking all over, his eyes rolling. "If she dies," I ground out, "I'll kill you." I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Fang?" Angel was crying, looking scared. "Is she dead?"

I ignored her.

"Fang," The spiky-haired girl put her hand on my shoulder again. "She won't live. She needs my father's help." Her eyes burned into mine. "Do you want her to live or not?"

Of course I wanted her to live. But, apart from this girl's friend attacking us, something made me wary of her. Something was wrong with her. But I found myself nodding.

"Live?" someone replied scathingly. I looked over Edward stood up, a fiery light in his eyes as he looked at the girl. He looked scared, angry, confused, and ashamed at the same time. A lot of emotions running around there. "She won't _live. _Do you call this living, Alice." The girl—Alice—blinked. "Do you really. Do you think restraining yourself from harming innocent _people _your whole life _living_?!_ " _He gestured at Max. Something in his voice as he said "people" made me start to think he wasn't one. I shook my head. No, that couldn't be...something was incredibly wrong....

"It's the only way! She'll die on your watch, Edward. Because of you. The _least _you can do is help her survive in _some_ way!"

"What are you talking about? What's going on?" My voice shook. In a very small voice, I asked, "Where are you taking her?"

Alice picked Max up as if she was only a feather, and turned. "We're going to transform her into a vampire. It's the only way. Now hurry, her pulse is failing."

**Did you like it?! Please review! if you have any ideas, please tell me about them in your reviews!**


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, guys. I'll think you'll like this chapter! I tried to make it extra long, so please review. Tell me what you think. The reviews last time were awesome. Keep it up, please!

NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fang's POV

Immediately I knew something was wrong. Clearly, these people needed help. Fast. I mean, where's the punch line? Vampire? Yeah, and I'm _not_ a mutant bird kid.

I shook my head, feeling my face come from shock into fight and flight mode. Or just, take Max, and go to the nearest hospital.

Clenching my fists, I took a step toward them. "Give. Me. Max." The flock closed in around me, ready to fight and get the heck out of there with Max. But only with Max.

They both stared back at me, unperturbed. Then Alice suddenly went rigid, her face turning oddly blank. Her eyes were unfocused, as if she was looking far away; Edward appeared instantly at her side. He looked at her face, as if concentrated on God knows what. His eyes widened shockingly. His head snapped up as Alice suddenly concentrated on me.

And as if following orders, she handed Max's broken body to me. "Do you know where the hospital is?" I nodded. Me and Max saw it in our scan. "Take her there. Fly as fast as you can." My mouth opened in shock. As I was listening to her, I asked myself, Who was this girl? Was she a spy?

Alice spoke so quickly I had to concentrate just to keep up. "Ask for Dr. Cullen. Don't stop. Don't take breaks." Her gaze bored into mine. "If you don't get there in thirty minutes, she's dead. Trust Cullen. Let him do whatever's necessary. He'll…" Her voice shook. "He'll do what needs to be done."

I nodded, and, not caring whether they saw, snapped open my wings. I turned to my flock, each giving them some time to adjust. "Guys, we're going to the hospital. Don't stop. Don't complain." I looked at them all. "You know what to do." They all nodded, looking dead serious. I turned back toward our audience, who were gaping at our wings. "If I see you ever again…" I said menacingly, addressing mostly Edward. His eyes locked on mine. "You're dead."

And without a thought, I jumped into the sky.

Alice's POV

I couldn't _believe _this was happening. First Edward completely runs out of control, and then I have a vision about flying bird kids. Everything was coming so sudden. What next? A talking dog?

I glared at Edward as we ran to the hospital. He looked horrible. "What have you _done?" _ I said. "You've completely blown our cover, all of us! Rose will kill you." _That'll be two murders today. _He snapped his gaze to mine, and started running faster. "What happened? I've never seen you like that. Everything was fine for a second, and then suddenly you took off!"

Edward didn't answer for a minute. Then he whispered. "I don't know." He looked over at me, his gaze penetrating into my thoughts. "I couldn't hear them. I didn't _know _they were there. Then that smell…" He shuddered. "It was better than anything I've ever smelled before." He closed his eyes for a second.

I looked ahead. The small hospital was five hundred yards away.

_Did it smell better than Bella? _He stared straight ahead, not answering. There was pain in his eyes as he walked rigidly into the hospital.

I sighed. _Boys._

Edward's POV

The past events flashed in my mind as Alice skipped behind me. I didn't even bother reading her thoughts. I could feel the tension radiating off her as we marched through the emergency room.

"Edward?" the receptionist—Mindy—called after me. I gave a curt nod in her direction and walked on toward Carlisle's office.

"Don't worry about Edward, Mindy. He's having a bad day," Alice spoke quietly. If I could only tell her how much of an understatement that was.

I didn't know what to do. For the second time in my life, I thought about just _running. _How many times will this happen to me? And the most important question, _why _is this happening to me?

I instantly thought of Bella. Her soft skin, the blood rushing through her cheeks as she blushed. My mind steadily grew clearer as I thought of her face. I groaned. The party was a mistake. If I had just listened—If I could have gave her what she wanted…she wanted to stay at home, and I stubbornly insisted on her going. I thought she would warm up to the party, she needs to get out and enjoy life more. She _needs to know _what it's like to live a normal life. Not…this.

Why should she condemn herself into _this_ life? I scoffed, ignoring the questioning glance from Alice. She wants to damn herself into a world like this just to be with a selfish, bloodthirsty monster? I clenched my jaw. Something has to be done.

With faint surprise, I realized we had already reached Carlisle's office. Pushing the doors open, I caught the thoughts of Carlisle as he turned off the X-Ray light in surprise.

Without thinking, I slouched into a seat, covering my face with my granite hands.

"What's going on? What happened?" He spoke to Alice, knowing full well I wouldn't answer.

I heard Alice's hair swish; she glanced at me before answering. "Edward's…done something…well, it was an accident—"

"I attacked an innocent girl!" I roared, standing up. Carlisle's eyes widened. "We were hunting, I caught her scent." I was speaking too quickly. "It was nothing, _nothing, _compared to that…that _hell." _

"Edward…" Carlisle began.

"Forget it!" I said. "They're coming now. They'll be any second… But Carlisle," I just remembered. "They weren't normal. Something's wrong with them—"

And that's when we heard a commotion outside. We burst through the door, Carlisle sprinting in the front.

And there was Fang, holding Max, yelling, "Where's Dr. Cullen? _Where is he?_" And then he suddenly stiffened. "What are you doing here?" He spat. Then his eyes widened slightly. "How…how did you get here so fast?"

"I'm Doctor Cullen." Carlisle burst in, throwing a quick glance at me. He then looked at Max. "We'll take her to the emergency room." He said suddenly, all business. "What's the analysis?" I didn't think he expected Fang to say anything, he was looking toward a nurse, but Fang spoke up.

"Her spine's broken. Five of her ribs are broken, and her arm fractured when she was pushed into a tree." He practically shouted, throwing a spiteful glare in my direction. "And I'd really love to chat all day and all, but Max doesn't have that long!" His eyes darted toward Alice. "She said you'll do what needs to be done, so I'm letting you have free reign." Then his mood shifted. He suddenly growled, reminding me a little like myself. "So do it now, and Get. Her. Better."

Carlisle quickly took her and put her on an emergency cart, and running her straight toward the emergency room. Fang and the other kids followed, but Alice held them back. "Just relax, you got to let him try…" Fang threw a furious glance at me, and sat down on the floor, right in front of the emergency doors. "I'm not leaving this spot." That was all he said.

I nodded, and dashed through the doors. They were already operating, but I could tell by there faces things weren't looking to good.

I just continued to stare at them, not bothering to move as Carlisle called out orders. An hour past…then another…and another until my father finally called the team to a halt. Carlisle turned toward me. Blood splattered his scrubs, and his melancholy eyes were clear in the ER light.

"We'll have to do it, won't we?" I could barely hear myself. My mind was reeling. I'll never forgive myself, _never_, if—

"Doctor, her pulse is failing fast!" A nurse called urgently.

Carlisle sighed as her pulse turned more erratic and slower than ever before. And suddenly, without warning, he plunged a needle into her heart, surging liquid into her system. "It'll take away the pain." He explained to some startled nurses and the other doctor. "Edward, take her to the morgue." But his mind said something else.

I couldn't see anything as I pushed her through the back door, not wanting to see Fang's face. But instead, I saw someone different.

He was tall and pale, with a dirty sweatshirt over his torso, and ripped jeans. "Fang." He called quietly.

And in almost ten seconds, Fang and the rest of the group was at the tall boy's side. "Thanks, Iggy." He murmured. Then he looked at Max. His stance stiffened. "Where are you taking her?" He looked at me, and I saw only pain. My lie faltered.

"Come with me." I looked into his eyes. "Come with me _now." _

And without bothering to ask questions, he nodded. "Let's go." He called, and they all followed.

"Don't ask questions. What ever you do, don't remember anything you'll see or hear over the next three days.

"What?" Fang asked. "Tell me what's happening." I just shook my head.

"In three days, I'll tell you everything. _Everything._ Trust me." We were outside by now.

Iggy spoke up. "Where are we going." I turned toward him. "I'm running to our house. You'll fly. Stay at least within my sight. I'll stay within yours."

"Up and away!" Fang yelled. They all snapped open their wings and took off. I started running. I remembered what Carlisle thought, what he slipped in my hand.

I took out the venom, watched in glimmer in the light for a few seconds, and plunged a second dose of vampire venom into her heart. Carlisle's thoughts seemed to echo in my mind.

_Do what has to be done._

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	7. Chapter 7

**Did you like the last chapter? Please tell me! I'm open to hearing ideas from you guys about where this story will go!!!**

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NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fang's POV

Okay. Some things are easy to understand. Like a talking dog, for instance, who kept screaming in my ear about all the mental healing classes he'll have to take after this. Or, like a human Ghost of Max coming back to life in the middle of the night and completely freak you out.

A pale psycho maniac who could run faster than five hybrid bird kids flying _one hundred and twenty_ freaking_ miles an hour_? Still working on that.

"How fast is this freak _going?!" _Iggy yelled above the wind. I still don't know how he can hear this guy's footsteps three hundred feet above the ground.

Gazzy looked paler than usual. "Iggy, he's going faster than _we _are." He looked toward me, and something lit in his eyes. "Do you think he was at the School too? Like, he was a little kid like us, and they enhanced him or something?" he asked excitedly, practically jumping up and down.

"Gazzy. Focus."

"Oh. Okay."

"What was _wrong _with him?" Nudge asked, stricken. "He just burst through the trees and—"

"I don't know. Something's wrong with him and the girl. Maybe their crazy, maybe their convicts, I don't know. I still don't trust him. We all need to keep a close eye on him. Angel, try to read his mind—"

Something in her face made me stop. She looked troubled. Not completely freaked, as I was inside, but just, troubled. And then she gasped.

"Angel? What's wrong? What happened?" I looked down at Edward. He seemed to be holding something. Immediately my alert went from red to like, crimson flaming red. "'Kay, guys, going down!"

I tucked in my wings and zoomed toward the ground at one hundred and sixty miles an hour, and my hawk-like vision focused on Edward. He seemed to be holding a needle.

And then without warning, he plunged it in her heart.

Iggy's POV

You know, this is the thing I absolutely _hate _about not seeing anything. You never know why people say the things they say.

Like right now, for instance.

"Fang! Where are you going?" Nudge yelled as I felt Fang drop beneath me toward the ground even faster.

"What? What's he doing?" I shouted.

"I don't know…" Nudge said uncertainly.

A cold chill ran through me. "Is Max okay? What's Fang doing?"

"He's yelling at Edward." Gazzy explained. "Wait…I think we're close enough…just be quiet for a second."

"…what the _hell _was that?" Fang yelled.

"It'll…make her heal fast." Edward said.

Fang made a snorting noise. "No. I don't think so. _You _tell me what that is before I connect my fist with your thick skull!"

Edward slowly inhaled, then said. "I'm not telling you anything. I told you not to ask questions anyway. Everything will be explained. Please. Trust me." He seemed to be begging. That didn't soften us up.

"Tell him, Edward, you idiot." I cut in angrily. We all landed, and I started toward him. "This deal ain't gonna fly. You tell all of us what's going on. _Now." _

Edward sighed. "You'll find out."

I could almost feel Fang's tension. Suddenly I collided with him. "What? What happened?"

"This is Dr. Cullen's house," Edward called, he seemed to be far away. I could feel Fang walking toward the place.

And shot out my hand.

Fang's POV

"What?" I asked, completely irritated.

"Don't go in there." Iggy's voice sounded—scared.

"Why? We have to! _Max _is in there, you idiot! What are we going to do, just leave her alone?" I started toward the house again. And again, I collided with Iggy's arm.

"Don't go in there." Iggy repeated.

"_Why?"_

"I have this feeling." Iggy seemed tense. "It smells funny."

"What are you talking about?" The flock looked at us curiously.

"It smells…like _blood_." His voice rose.

"Well, that's probably your imagination." I said irritably. Who did he think he was anyway?

And I plunged toward the house, with the reluctant flock quick on my heels.

Edward's POV

I burst through the house, grabbing the morphine needle from my pocket, and jabbing it into her heart. It was slowing down.

Alice was right on my heels. "How long?"

"Maybe five minutes." I said grimly. "She's incredibly strong…" I grabbed another needle and injected it in her arm.

"Edward? Edward?" Esme flew down the steps. She stopped suddenly, horror on her face. "Oh my God…"

Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper were coming from the garage just as Fang flew threw the door. He stopped suddenly, the flock bumping into him. "Who are you?" He pointed to Esme, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett.

"Edward, what did you _do?"_ Rosalie shrieked, running and stopping right in front of me. "Who is this?" She gestured impatiently at Max.

"She has three minutes." I said.

She suddenly stopped, and comprehension dawned on all of my families' faces. "No…" she said, backpedaling.

"Three minutes to _what?"_ A short boy spoke up from the group. He looked from Fang to me, his bright blue eyes completely terrified. I could hear his horrible thoughts.

_What's wrong with her? Is she okay? If she dies... _Why _is this happening again? _I started.

"Wait a moment." I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. "This has happened _before?_" Maybe it wasn't just me. Maybe this girl just attracted trouble like a super enhanced magnet.

Like Bella.

Swallowing, I waited for Fang to answer. His eyes, full of pain, were on Max. "Yes. Like a month ago. We were flying out of a flaming Save-A-Lot, an eraser named Ari comes and stabs Max. She died." The smallest girl in the group, about six or seven years old, swallowed.

"Then…why's she here?" I asked as I mentally counted down. _One minute. _

"One minute to what?" the smallest girl asked curiously.

"That's what we're trying to figure out, Angel." A dark-skinned girl answered impatiently.

"What's he thinking?" Fang asked, his eyes trained on me. Angel appeared to be concentrating.

"About a girl." She answered, her eyes closed. "Named Bella. They…they have to leave…" Her eyes opened. "Where are you going? You have to help Max!"

I reeled in shock. How did she know about Bella? I was just thinking about her, about how we couldn't stay here. Were they spies from the Volturi? I shook my head, my eyes widened in shock. I went into her mind. She looked back at me, her eyes troubled. _Will Max be okay, Edward? _Her voice stood out clearly in my head.

I staggered back, and Max suddenly felt like a thousand pounds. "You….you can…"

And that's when Max moaned, "My chest hurts."

Oh no. The morphine didn't work. I don't know how or why, but it wasn't working.

She opened her eyes, wincing. Fang looked tense. "Max?" he asked. He then turned toward me, angry. "I thought he fixed her! Her spine was broken. She shouldn't be conscious." He eyed me beadily. "Didn't you give her a painkiller or something?"

"I didn't." Carlisle stood at the doorway, his face paler, his eyes wide. "Her wounds were fatal. A painkiller won't do anything now. I told Edward to inject venom into her system." He turned toward me. "Why isn't the morphine working? Did you inject her?"

"Fang." Max moaned. He was at her side.

"I'm here." He said. I blinked. So did Jasper. _He loves her. _He thought simply. _He loves her as much as you love Bella, Edward. _

I couldn't speak.

"It hurts…" Max groaned.

"The painkillers aren't working, Max. But don't worry. I promise it's going to be okay."

And that's when she screamed. "I'm on fire!" She writhed and twisted, groaning. It seemed like she couldn't feel the pain of her broken spine anymore.

Fang looked scared. "Max?"

"Get the fire off! Get it away from me! _I'm burning_!"

**Okay guys. I didn't get a lot of reviews for the last chapter. Only three. I need more, please! I just want to know if this is a good story or not**.


	8. Chapter 8

Max's POV

It felt like being in that freaking isolation tank again.

Except, this time, I _couldn't _move. Whatsoever. Nada. Zip.

You may not know this, but I'm _extremely _claustrophobic. Being enclosed in an isolation tank is one thing.

But being trapped inside your _mind _is just downright torture.

I have to admit, I'm not scared a lot. I don't scream hysterically if a mouse crawls up my leg or anything, and if something hurts, I don't groan about it either.

I was terrified.

I didn't know what was happening. All I know was: because of the whole spine-snapping business, I was out. _Way _out. Like, if you blew up a hydrogen bomb right next to my face, I would snore on it.

I mean, was it normal not to feel anything? Like, at all? Does breaking your spine make you go numb all over or something? That was the question I needed to get answered.

Suddenly, my chest started to ache.

_Max._

The Voice's magical reappearance startled me. _What? _

_You must be prepared._

I almost rolled my eyes (oh yeah, I can't do that 'cause I'm paralyzed. Right.). Why couldn't the Voice just give me a straight answer for _once? _

_Prepared for what? Baking cooks? Extreme stunts?…Internal heart break._

_No. For Everything._

_Whatever. _

Okay, now my chest was _really _starting to annoy me. The only _good _thing about the pain was that it probably meant I'd be streaking back to consciousness any minute—

"…she has three minutes." I heard someone say dimly, as if they were far away.

_Three minutes to _what? I wanted to shout. Luckily, someone asked that for me.

"Three minutes to _what?" _Gazzy spoke up, looking scared. Immediately, I started to go on high alert. The Gasman usually doesn't crack unless things were humongously bad.

"Wait a moment." The person answered—a guy, I think—whose voice was so beautiful it could probably tell me to fly back to the School and I would do it.

Okay, maybe not, but you get the point.

The boy continued. "This has happened _before?" __What _happened before?! This was driving me freaking insane!

The pain in my chest grew worse. I tried to move, to tell somebody. But, of course, I had to stay mute.

"Yes." Fang spoke. I almost sighed. And then almost groaned with the pain. "Yes. Like a month ago. We were flying out of a flaming Save-A-Lot, an eraser named Ari comes and stabs Max. She died."

Ohhh. They were talking about me dying. That moment in my life sucked _really _bad.

"Then…why's she still here?" It was like people were sticking pins and needles in my chest.

"One minute to what?" Angel asked abruptly, making me breathe a little slower. I tried to open my eyes.

'That's what we're trying to figure out, Angel." Nudge said impatiently.

My breath, against my futile attempts, was starting to quicken. My heart was trying to break out of my chest as the pain grew worse. I groaned, but, or course, no one heard me. But I actually made a sound! That, is _progress, _people.

"What's he thinking?" Fang sounded suspicious. I wouldn't blame him being skeptical about the beautiful-voice-guy who could hypnotize you with his very words. Just a little apprehensive.

"About a girl." Angel answered, her eyes closed. "Named Bella. They…they have to leave…" Her eyes opened. "Where are you going?"

The pain was almost unbearable.

I heard quick, irregular footsteps, like someone staggering back. Apparently this person was carrying me, because I swayed sickeningly, and my spine gave a painful twitch.

The pain seemed to be swelling up, like fire was spreading. Wait. Was there a fire? Did it get onto _me _or something? I tried to move, and I furiously tried to get my mouth to say something as the fire burned. I wanted to scream, to flail, but all I got was my finger to twitch. Crap.

Through the pain, I heard the guy above me gasping, "You…you can…"

Suddenly the pain welled up so high that I finally groaned and _made _my self say, "My chest hurts." I heard everyone stop. I opened my eyes, moaning. I could hardly see anything, but I _did _see Fang look tense and worried.

"Max?" Fang asked, his voice shaking slightly.

The pain writhed through my system like some a hot, green poison. For a second, there was nothing to focus on but the pain. I could dimly hear Fang yelling at the guy above me, and a new voice speak.

Gasping, I turned my head. Another man, looking about twenty three, stood at the gaping doorway, his face completely pale, and eyes widened in shock. "Her wounds were fatal. A painkiller won't do anything now. I told Edward to inject venom into her system." He turned toward me. "Why isn't the morphine working? Did you inject her?" Oh my God. It was starting to hurt everywhere.

"Fang." I ground out.

Instantly he was by my side. "I'm here."

I needed to tell him. "It hurts." I said, trying to raise my arm to feel my chest.

"The painkillers aren't working, Max. But don't worry. I promise it's going to be okay."

It was too hard. I suddenly screamed, "I'm on fire!" My body seemed to work now; I writhed and twisted, trying to get the fire away from me.

"Max?" Fang sounded scared.

"Get the fire off! Get it away from me! I'm burning!" The fire was spreading to the tips of my fingertips. I screamed. The fire cut open my chest, and slithered into my body, down to the very tip of my toes, turned white-hot.

Suddenly, it seemed like everything flashed in front of my eyes like a movie, and threw this freaking white-hot pain, I was _seeing _everything.

I could see myself punching the pine tree after Angel was taken.

I could see myself curling my wings up as I dropped toward the ground, my headache fit to kill.

I saw myself falling with the Eraser, cracking my head on the cement.

I saw myself killing Ari.

Watching Fang die.

Facing Ari at Anne's house

The isolation tank.

My useless hand fluttering in the breeze as I looked at the semi-truck that held the rest of the flock.

Me dueling Omega.

Everything.

Every type of pain welled inside me.

And I would have taken it all.

Everything.

I would have been grateful.

**We're going for 45 reviews, guys. This was kind of filler, I know, but the next one will consist of a battle between…**

**Fang and Edward!! YAY!**

**So please review if you want the battle to take place…**


	9. Chapter 9

'Key, guys, I got like, forty seven reviews or something. Let's go to fifty seven. So that's ten reviews!

NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fang's POV

I stood stagnate, just staring at Max. She was yelling and writhing on the floor; I could hear her spine clink every time she curled into a tighter ball. All I could see was her perfect mouth twist into a grimace, her eyes widen, her slim fingers twitching. I couldn't move.

"We need to get her to somewhere safe." Dr. Cullen broke the silence, walking toward Max.

"No."

Dr. Cullen looked at me, startled. "What?'

"What. Did. You. Do. To her." I was still staring.

"Fang—" Edward spoke up. The freak sounded like he was _sorry_. Like he could possibly know how sorry I was.

"NO!" I snapped out of my trance, and I was shaking; Max's screams punctured me like fractured steel. "I don't want to hear the poor mutant kid bullcrap! You think you're sorry. _You don't know. _You don't know _anything! _So you tell me what's going on NOW!" Adrenaline surged through my veins like white lightning; I was ready to kill.

"She's healing." Alice spoke up, dancing toward me. "The venom acts sort of like stitches and antibiotics really. She'll be completely fine."

"Better, more like." A humongous buff teenager spoke up.

"Venom?" I asked. What the heck does venommean? Wangdoodles?

"Vampire venom." Edward said quickly. "It's extremely painful. But she'll be—okay."

"No. No she won't." Iggy walked forward. "She's having a freaking seizure. And—" Suddenly he stopped, looking puzzled. Edward eyes widened.

"Are you wearing something heavy? Like, coats?" He sounded weird. Max gave another scream.

"What is it?"

"They don't—they don't have a heartbeat."

Everyone froze.

Don't….don't have a heartbeat? What next? Lifting a car from the ground with one freaking finger?

I looked at Max writhing on the floor. Something's wrong with this. Was this a trap, or what? "Okay." I made a split decision. "Here's the deal. We're going to go. We're taking Max. If I ever see you—" I pointed at each of them, then gazed at Edward. "ever again, you're dead."

I moved toward Max, then gaped. Alice was holding her, as if Max was as light as a feather. Suddenly materializing there as if my magic.

"You can't leave," She growled. "Max has three days. The venom needs to do its work for Max." She appeared by the banister. She looked at the flock, and her black eyes found mine. Her demeanor crumpled. "I'm sorry." She mouthed, and disappeared.

"NO!" Suddenly I was running. Reaching for the banister, I felt my heart beating through my chest. This was some kind of sick game. Just like last time, the School wants to kill Max. Why, though? _Why was this happening?_

This was insane. These people were freaks. They're like us. But they're crazy. Maybe they're enhanced scientists or something; what if they tested on Max? Going through that hell again…

Edward stepped in front of me. "Fang, you can't go up there."

I stopped, and squared my shoulders. "Oh, and you're going to stop me? Is that it?" I seethed.

His eyes narrowed. "Yes."

I scoffed.

_Fang. _

I started, and then looked at Angel. She was looking at me.

"What?" I said.

_I'm seeing things. _Her voice stood out clearly in my mind as if she was talking to me. She sounded scared.

I looked at her in horror. "Seeing what?"

She closed her eyes, a look of terror on her smooth face. "I see…_death."_

"What happened? What did they do?"

She shuddered. "What's happening, to…Max," she said, "It's happened before."

"Angel?" Gazzy sounded scared too. "What are you saying?"

And suddenly I felt like a concrete wall hit me. I looked at them all, their perfect faces, their black irises, the paleness…the circles under their eyes. Their graceful movements. They seemed incredibly old. Everything they said came back to me.

"_Get out! He's out of control…"_

"_YOU ATTACKED HER!"_

"No…can't take her….another way…"

"There is no other way! This is exactly how Esme looked when they carted her off to the morgue!"

"_Live? She won't live. Do you call this living, Alice? Do you really? Preying on helpless animals, on _people_!"_

"_Iggy, they're going faster than _we _are." _

"Oh my god…" I whispered.

I dimly heard Angel still explaining. "…this has happened to each of them." Her voice was shaking. "They were screaming. And they changed. Through all the screaming, _they changed._ Into…into—"

"Into a vampire." Carlisle finished, walking forward. In an instant, I darted in front of the flock. "Don't move." I seethed. He stopped suddenly, but he kept talking. "Fang. We won't hurt you, don't you see that? We're trying to _help." _

"Oh, yeah, you're a real big help alright. Except for the bloodsucking leech over there breaking Max's spine—" Nudge moaned, "But other than that, you're _fantastic._"

"Do you think we _want _to live like this?!" Edward lost it. He reached up and pulled at his hair. "_We don't want to _be _monsters! _There is nothing worth living like this! That's why we don't kill humans. We don't hunt them, we don't want to have anything to do with them," His eyes bored into mine, "but help them."

"But you love Bella." Angel said.

He turned toward her, shocked. "Who's Bella?" I asked, confused. They all ignored me, even Angel.

"I didn't choose to." He whispered brokenly. "It…it was a mistake."

"You attacked Max." Angel said.

"You don't understand." A woman spoke up. "Edward would _never _harm a human. A child especially. He has a good soul." She spoke with fervor.

"But Max is becoming like you." Angel said.

No one spoke.

"What?" Nudge yelped.

"Wait a moment," I said, closing my eyes. "She's going…she's turning into…a bloodsucking _vampire?" _

Silence.

"No…this isn't…this can't be real…" I stuttered.

"You wanted Max to live. This was the only alternative." Edward said. "This was the only thing that can keep her alive."

I could still hear her screaming. I slowly pointed at him. "This is all your fault." I stalked toward him.

He backed away. "Let me explain…"

"I'M NOT LISTENING TO _ANYTHING _YOU'VE GOT TO SAY!"

And then I pounced.

Edward's POV

A split second was all it took for me to fully understand what these kids have been through.

Fang's bared teeth were clenched, and his fingers stiff as he jumped at me with his black eyes iced with fury. His mind was twisted with different thoughts. Thoughts that terrified me.

I don't know how, but these kids had been hurt over and over again. By people. People did this to them. They made them into these…_experiments. _I could see flashes of needles, water, cages. Scientists poking chemicals into their systems.

And there was one more thing. One more piece I stole from him before he grabbed my neck. It was this very piece of information that made me crumple. I _didn't _want to fight. I didn't want to cause these kids any more pain. But I already have. It caused me such excruciating remorse that I decided that I would never get involved with a human again. I would never speak to them, never listen, never help. Because all of it would just make everything worse.

Fang _did _love Max. He loved her as much as I love Bella. I saw him stroking her hair, his gentle eyes on her as Max laughed. I witnessed him watching her every move with attentiveness, as if she would be taken from him at any moment. I saw his angry façade against a black cave as he watched her fly away from him. I felt his anger. I felt it all. He loved her. She loved him. He was calm, composed. Happy. Because of a fourteen year old girl with wings.

And I tore that all away from him.

OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thus begins the fight between Fang and Edward! REVIEW!


	10. Chapter 10

**OKAY, THE CHAPTER YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!**

**Um, and by the way, this story isn't going to end here. This story will **_**at least **_**go for thirty five chapters. I'm ninety-nine percent sure there will be more. Review after the chapter. I want to know if I did this scene justice!**

**ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!**

Fang's POV

I crashed into Edward's chest with all the angst, fury, and heartbreak that shot through my fingertips. Everything that I've been through went into that rush. All of the pain and suffering me and the flock have been through.

The School pushing us over the limits of our capabilities.

The Erasers picking us apart in the fields as if we were dogs.

Max dying.

We both hurtled into the wall, and his back hit the plaster with a dull _thud, _cracking it in half like it was a freaking saltine cracker. My eyes widened in surprise. What were these freaks made out of? Rocks?

Without thinking, I pulled my fist back, and aimed a punch at his kidney.

And suddenly, I was plunging through the air, and collided into the sofa, tipping it over. For a second I just laid on the floor, groaning. It was like I was hit by a rocket. Then putting my hands under me, I pushed myself up, moaning as I stood shakily. Something warm was trickling down the side of my face.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Nudge screamed furiously at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Edward appeared a few feet away from me. His hand was pulled back, but his eyes held nothing of pain. Just as he threw the punch, I instinctively ducked, and tackled him. He sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily. I sprang to my feet. He was already standing, his legs braced, his hands clenched.

"I don't want to fight you, Fang!" he yelled.

"Too late." I said, and aimed a roundhouse kick to his stomach. He seemed to be ready. He grabbed my left foot, and twisted hard. I heard it snap before the pain welled up the side of my leg.

He dropped it, and I almost collapsed on the floor. But I caught myself and remained upright. I staggered and almost fell again. Groaning, I fought to remain standing as I started limping toward him, while muttering profanities; bloodlust in my eyes. Edward looked like he felt bad for breaking my freaking _leg, _the idiot; he seemed concerned.

"You're dead." I spat as I got closer. Something flashed in his eyes.

"Fang, seriously—" Iggy started to say.

"What? What is it you want me to do? You want me to sit and _calm down?" _I roared. Iggy flinched, but I ignored it. "Look what these bloodsuckers did to Max! Last night, everything was fine until those two," I pointed at Edward and Alice, who stared back, horrified, "showed up and killed her!"

"She isn't dead…" Alice's voice trailed off as I turned toward her.

"She's just as good as! I don't know what she'll turn into, okay? I get that. But I know being a vampire some kind of nirvana and crap!" I started limping toward her. "If she makes it through this healing crap _alive, _the flock will still be able to know whether it's _her _or not. I'll know whether Max _isn't _really a freak, if she's who she is, or if it's some monster going for the kill." I got right into her face. "I don't know who you guys are. You may be almost human. You might have feelings. You may want to, what was the phrase? Oh yeah, 'help' humans and all, but _I'm not buying it._

"You have no idea what you've done to these kids." I seethed. "No idea." I leaned on my right leg, and felt my arm throb heavily. I guess one bone and some deep cut by my temple just wasn't enough.

Edward looked at me impassively. "Yes, I do. I know more than what you've ever seen."

This time I started to laugh. It didn't sound normal. "Do you think for _one second _that you've seen more than I've seen?" I gestured at Angel. "Angel's been through a hell of a lot more than you have, and she's only six-years-old!" Yelling, I limped over to them. "Iggy's _blind!_ He's as old as I am, he's only fourteen, _I'm _only fourteen, and he can't even _freaking _see! Have any of you been through that? Have _any _of you seen what we've seen? I don't think so."

Edward strode over toward me, his black eyes ablaze. "Tell me, _Fang, _have you ever killed someone? Those Erasers you constantly duel with, have you ever actually _killed _one?" I stared back at him, stunned. I thought they didn't kill people. So now he was _lying? _Or worse, was he telling the truth?

What was I supposed to believe anymore? Avian hybrids coming back to life, vampires? What next, a werewolf? I wouldn't be surprised.

He towered over me, his jaw clenched, his face tortured. "Do you know what the people around you are thinking, Fang? Do you wish to know what Max was thinking, sometimes?" I flinched. He smiled softly, but his eyes were still pained. Suddenly, he swiveled his head toward the doctor.

"I know what I'm doing, Carlisle." The doctor nodded, and turned toward me again.

So did Edward. He studied at me for a second, and said, "Do you know what it feels like to have a million voices in your head? But they're not your own?" I didn't say anything. "It's like having numerous radios on at different stations. And suddenly it's like your not who you think you are. Voices and thoughts you'd never think just appear in your head sometimes, and _you can't stop it. _Suddenly you feel things you would never feel, see things you'd never with to see, you _hear _things. Different problems, horrors, deaths, _nightmares._"

I stared back at him, trying to keep my emotions in check. So vampires could read _minds _now? I looked at Angel, but she just stared at the ceiling, completely still. My leg throbbed like mad.

I turned back to Edward, who looked a little crazed. He shook his head a little, and looked so hurt I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "Have you…" He hesitated. "Have you ever loved someone?"

"Yes." I snapped instantly. What kind of question was that? Of course I do. I love the flock. If the vampire could read minds he wouldn't be asking stupid questions. But I had a hunch that wasn't what he meant.

"I'm talking about Max, Fang."

"What about her?" My alert went to a black, which is pretty serious.

"How far would you go to make safe?"

I was instantly serious. "I'd die for her."

He shook his head. "You don't know that. You _can't _know that." He looked at me like I was five or something.

I took a step forward. "You wanna bet?" I said menacingly. I morphed my face into a sneer.

"Do you ever want to _kill _her?" he pressed on.

"What kind of question is that?" I said sarcastically. "Of course I don't want to kill her. I wouldn't even think about that." But with a pang, I remembered Max asking me to 'do what was neccesary' if she turned bad. What if I had to do it? To save the flock? I couldn't think about it.

I felt like the devil or something, hurting this guy so badly. I could see his eyes flicker, his shoulders jerk minutely every time I threw something at him. I didn't like what I was saying. It wasn't _me_. But why couldn't this guy understand what's happened to us? Why couldn't they just leave us alone? _Why did he hurt Max and turn her into a leech addict? _My forgiveness crashed down. I went on. "And if you want to kill—what was her name—Bella, was it? —why don't you just get it over with? 'Cause you know what? I don't think you would even care—_don't touch me!" _

Edward appeared in front of me at an instant, and grabbed my shirt collar. I struggled, trying to throw myself off, when he leaned in very close. His eyes looked deadly. "I wouldn't kill her. I don't care _how_ good her blood smells. I love her, and I'm not going to let her die for _any _reason, especially by me. I love her as much as you love Max, and _I'm not a killer._" His voice turned into a menacing whisper.

And suddenly, he spun around, and the momentum made me fly into the wall. My head glanced off of it, and I slid on the floor, groaning. My head throbbed like hell. I tried to push myself up, but fell back down.

Edward was frozen. He blinked, and said softly,"I got carried away." He looked toward me, and started toward me. "I'm sorry—"

"The difference," I interrupted as I struggled to rise, "between you and me, is that I would get away from Max if some deranged part of me wanted to hurt her. But you," I rose shakily on my feet, and snapped open my wings for balance, "would rather make yourself happy by cuddling with your sweetheart while you have an undying urge to _kill _her."

Edward was speechless. Staggering back, and shaking his head frantically, he muttered, "No, no, no, no…"

And with that I stood up, and said, "I'll be back in a while. And you," I turned toward Alice, "Don't let that thing," I pointed at Edward, "near Max." Alice seemed more human than any of these freaks. I couldn't trust her, but she was the closest thing to it. She didn't answer.

I started hobbling toward the door, and the rest followed me.

Iggy's POV

I felt Fang's movement as he limped toward the door, and I turned to follow. Nudge held my hand, which was shaking badly. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed it.

The things going on in my head made me feel like an overflowed box. I could still hear Max screaming inside my mind, and it made my throat clench.

"Angel," I heard Fang say, "Do you have to look at someone to know what they're thinking?"

"No." Her voice shook.

"How far can you go and still read someone's mind?" he said urgently.

"Um…maybe two or three miles?"

"That's probably Edward's capability. Only about one or two miles, maybe three." He mused.

"Could someone tell me what's happening?" I asked. "Not to be touchy, or anything." I added on sarcastically.

"There was a house off the beaten track that me and Max saw on our recon." Fang said swiftly. "It's the perfect place to hunker down."

"But what about Max??" Nudge asked frantically. "We can't just leave her!"

"I know." Fang said. "That's why—when everyone's settled in and figures out the exits and everything—I'm going to go back and stay with her until this whole darn thing's done."

We were silent.

It turns out (by what Nudge told me) the house was _extremely _small. Like, not even a car could fit in that car. One of those smart mini cars probably couldn't have fit in that house…okay, maybe it could've.

It didn't take long to find all the exits—it was like the whole house was made of glass—and when we entered a room, Nudge described a wooden floor, a bed, a hundred year old computer, and a desk under it. I like computer access. It makes me feel somewhat important, you know?

Fang left in a hurry, muttering things like, "Just hide if you see anyone who looks dangerous," and "Max," and stuff like that, which made us feel a whole lot worse. But everyone was looking up to me, so I nodded to Fang as I heard him fly out of the bedroom window.

"Okay…" I said distractedly, listening for cars or anything. "I'm going to make some food. Gazzy, try to reboot the computer and find out stuff about the Cullen jerk. He might be part of the School." And then I went down the stairs, feeling the rail as I clambered down.

As it turns out, there was a lot of deli and bread and stuff, which let me know that this house had people living in it (other than us, I mean) but I just cast it aside and brought the food upstairs.

"Hey, I got the computer started." Gazzy said as I walked in.

"Did you look up Cullen?" I asked as I handed out chow to the kids.

"On it right now."

I walked toward the computer, shoving some bologna in my mouth as I heard him type.

"Okay…" I heard him mutter as I chewed. I felt Nudge and Angel come up beside me. "So here's what I got. He's a doctor—"

"A two year old could have figured that out," I snapped. "Really brilliant."

"He's gotten a whole bunch of rewards and doctorates and master's degrees." Gazzy plowed on. "He's only, like, twenty eight or something."

"So the guy's smart." Nudge pointed out.

"Yeah." I said. "But see if he works for the—"

"Who are you?" Someone said from the doorway. I whipped around.

It sounded like a teenager, I thought while concentrating. Why didn't I hear this girl come up? Was she one of those leeches too?

"Um, we're…well…" I said, stalling. What were we again?

"We needed a computer." Gazzy exclaimed. "The window was open."

"Why would you need my computer?" she asked, sounding calm. "Who were you researching?" There was a pause. "Wait a moment…how old are you guys?"

"Um, I'm seventeen." I made up out of the top of my head. "They're all sixteen. They got…um…plastic surgery." Plastic surgery. I might as well said we were avian-hybrids on the run from evil vampires and killer erasers. I'm almost as brilliant as a two-year-old.

"Do you go to the school down by the reservation?" She asked skeptically. "I've never seen you before."

"It doesn't matter." I snapped. "Why are you asking questions anyway? Who are you?"

"Um, Bella?"

Oh jeez.

**'Kay, that was the tenth chapter! Did you like it! Please make suggestions and review! All those reviews I got the last chapter….that was pretty awesome. Let's go for seventy five, guys!**

**REVIEW!!!!!!**


	11. Chapter 11

Edward's POV

Nothing—_nothing—_could described the torture and pain that surged through me as Fang hobbled out of the room; dragging his left leg behind him.

I must have looked stultifying; just standing there, completely motionless as Fang moved toward the door. I wasn't looking at anything; there wasn't really anything to look at, honestly; but what I saw tore apart my pride, integrity, and, ultimately, the insanity that fought so hard to keep Bella in my arms.

The flock slowly followed their leader.

What have I _done?_ Was I really such a selfish, pompous, _monster, _to take away Bella's soul? I mean, what could I have expected from my life as Bella continues to grow? A new life, a new age…I've seen so many humans leave all they had for something else they'll regret.

This was what I wanted Bella to do. Bella's so _young, _and suddenly she flies off the handle just to be with an immortal…freak. Someone like me.

Bella deserves better. She deserves someone who could support her, live with her, and ultimately die with her. Someone to grow old with. Someone to share memories with. Memories of their own time. Someone to have children with.

Fang slammed the door shut with an angry, painful thud.

And my heart went with them, breaking as the door closed.

Bella's POV

Of course, in the back of my mind, I remembered the part about running around and screaming, like I should have done at Port Angeles when the time was appropriate, but I couldn't do it. Like an idiot, I just stood there, taking in these ragged, poverty-streaked kids. They couldn't be much younger than me. But there was something fishy about hijacking my bedroom for a computer that takes ten minutes to load up.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Iggy spoke up. "So…uh…you're name's…Bella?" He looked toward me, apprehension written on his pale face, as if he was hoping for a no. I decided to answer. "Um…yes. I just told you that a minute ago." He instantly stiffened. And his eyes…I peered closer. He blinked, and I saw his ice-blue irises, his pupils clouded. A small girl with dirty blonde ringlets looked up at him.

"Iggy?" She asked, tugging on his sleeve urgently. He looked down, his features annoyed. "What?"

Her lip seemed to quiver. "She knows him." His head snapped in my direction. "You know Edward?" he demanded, striding toward me.

I stood completely still, paralyzed. Who were these people? Did they work for the government? How did they know Edward? How did they know _I _knew Edward? I felt myself panicking a little. My eyes darted to my purse; I could see the pepper spray poking out of the zipper pocket.

I took a step back. "What do you want?" I said. "What are you doing here?" Iggy stepped forward. His eyes narrowed, and suddenly, even though I knew he was young, I found myself scared for the first time in months. "Well, next time you see your boyfriend, could you tell him to get the hell out our lives and go freeze to death? Or just kill himself, if leeches even can." I froze. How did these people know? It took me a few seconds to answer.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." Dang it. I was never good at lying, something Edward constantly keeps teasing me about. Iggy's face cleared in satisfaction.

"Oh, well, why don't I fill you in?" Iggy took another step forward. "Yesterday, while Me, Fang, Max, Nudge—" he pointed at a dark-skinned girl, who sniffed sullenly, "Gazzy—" A blonde-haired boy looked at his feet, then at Iggy, and then at his feet again, "And Angel—" The golden-haired girl stared mournfully at me, while clutching Iggy's hand, "were just minding our own freaking business, you're boyfriend and his freakish sister suddenly popped out of freaking _nowhere_ and almost killed Max!"

I covered my mouth to stifle a moan. But there must be a mistake. Edward couldn't have done anything like that. He's…more controlled. "I think you've mistaken Edward for someone else." I took another step back, and my eyes flickered toward the computer screen. And I found three words that made me run for it, grabbing the pepper spray and my keys.

_Dr. Carlisle Cullen._

Iggy's POV

"NO!" I yelled, and charged after her. Where the _heck _was this girl going to go? She didn't let me freaking _explain. _Huh. Maybe I'm just intimidating and scary like that. That made me slightly more cheerful.

The flock tight on my heels, I dashed through the front door, and cleared the stairs without bumping into anything, miraculously. Bella was rushing toward her car, and I heard the car door shut.

"Bella!" I called, slamming into the car. She screamed, I heard the clink of a changed gear, and heard a dull thud as she slammed the gas.

With a dull groan, the old cab jumped backward, and stopped as I lost my balance and fell in the dirt. I scrambled to my feet. The rumbling grew fainter until it vanished entirely. I couldn't hear anything but the rain falling over my eyes.

"Where'd she go?" I shouted, looking wildly around, though due to a little thing called _blindness, _the gesture was basically pointless.

Making a split decision, I snapped open my wings, and the flock did the same as I felt the breeze of their wings suddenly release.

And without a word I started to run. I felt the rush of adrenaline as I started to pump my legs faster, feeling the wind whipping through my face, hearing the dull pound of feet hitting pavement. I smiled slightly.

And then I jumped in the air and started to fly.

Gazzy's POV

"Where's he going?" I whispered to Nudge distractedly as I saw Iggy push his wings down hard to get airborne.

"He's going after Bella," answered Angel excitedly. And she jumped in the air, and flapped down hard, trying to remain airborne too.

"Let's go!" She yelled over the rain, and flew off toward Iggy.

So me and Nudge looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, and went after them.

Fang's POV

I burst threw the doors, wet, hungry, and practically out of my mind.

"Fang!" Esme said, looking surprised as she got up from the couch. I waved her down.

"I don't want to hear it. Where's Max?" I said, heading toward the stairs. Well, limping.

"Upstairs, third door on the left," she said softly. "But, Fang, I don't think you should go up there."

"Why?" I asked. "Because she might rip my throat out as soon as I see her?" I looked at her coldly for a second, and she whispered in a way that I could barely hear her as I turned toward the stairs again. "It'll be a shock. For you to see her."

My head whipped around, and I tried to scrutinize the woman. She seemed sincere. Yet scientists seemed sincere too, while they tried to freaking _kill _us. So I just said, "Shock doesn't bother me. It's just people like you that kind of piss me off." Pain flitted across her face.

And I turned and trudged up the stairs, leaning on the wall as I dragged my left foot behind me.

…I didn't know what I was expected to find when I opened the door to see Max. I mean, what will she look like? Will she be dead or what? Will she be, like, deformed or something? Or will she be just the same, screaming and yelling? I closed my eyes and shuddered. Do I honestly want to find out?

A freaking four-year-old could have seen that _I _was completely scared and out of my wits to see what was behind that door. I stood facing it right now; its wood seemed to be glaring at me. Like it had a face or something.

But, ignoring it, I found myself taking a deep breath, and with slightly trembling hands, I opened the door.

Edward's POV

I felt like ripping my dead heart out of my chest. I felt like taking a match and burning my granite flesh until there was nothing left. Yet I continued to sit on a boulder, facing the trees with my eyes closed, not acting on anything.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't do what needed to be done. I couldn't crush my own soul (not that I actually have one, or I wouldn't be in this mess) so quickly. _I couldn't end my life with one sentence. _

How could I survive, if I needed to do what had to be done? I'd be no more than a screaming child. I'd have no meaning, no plan, no reason for anything. I couldn't live without my whole life. What my life revolves around so passionately.

But, if I stay, if I continue my life the way I want it to be, then it would be over before I opened the car door. She'd be gone. And I'd be dead anyway.

I opened my eyes, and stood up.

Yesterday, my decision wasn't made.

But tomorrow, I'm finishing it. I'm leaving the life I have behind.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving Bella.

Bella's POV

I stepped on the gas and looked behind me. No one there. Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned, and headed toward The Cullen's house. _Someone _has to tell them about those deranged kids who were searching Dr. Cullen. I looked up, and suddenly screamed.

Those kids…those kids were…they had…._ wings. _

My mind told me that I was completely crazy. Maybe I was. Maybe being around vampires does that to you. How does it work, exactly?

Yet my eyes saw Iggy and the rest of the kids circling above me, flying lower, and lower around my car, their wings flared open, twitching slightly. Gasping, I stepped on the gas again, and the engine gave a pitiful whine.

"Come on!" I yelled in frustration.

I looked out my window again, and screamed.

Iggy was flying right by my car, looking toward me, his fists banging on the glass. "Bella! Stop the car!" he shouted over the wind. "You didn't let me explain—" and suddenly he was thrown back, hurtling through the air, and finally smacked into a tree.

The rest of the flock looked toward the window, anger on their faces. And almost screamed again.

Edward was running beside the car, his face angry as I heard him yell at Iggy, who was in the air again, his arm dangling at an odd angle, his face a mixture a pain and fury. Oh no.

I jerked the wheel, and the car bumped noisily over the driveway. I rolled down the window, keeping my eyes on the road. "Edward, what are you _doing?" _He didn't answer, keeping his face impassive as he ran beside me.

We drove in silence, Edward on my side, the flock visible on the rearview mirror. Occasionally he would look back, anger on his granite features. I sighed.

When the white finally shown through all the green and dark brown, I slammed the brakes, and clambered out of the car. I slammed the car door, and started to trudge up the driveway toward the house.

"Bella…" Edward grabbed my arm gently, but firmly, pulling me back.

"What?" I snapped. "What's happening, Edward? First, I hear that you almost killed a little kid, and _second­­—_" I plowed on as he opened his mouth, "I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but you _throw _a fourteen-year-old into a dang _tree!"_

"And broke his arm." Someone spoke up. I turned. The little blond boy spoke up. "You're boyfriend broke Iggy's arm. _And _Fang's ankle."

"You broke someone's _ankle?" _I yelled, whirling toward Edward again, who stared back impassively. "What next, Edward? Are you going to turn a six-year-old into a vampire now?" He stiffened, and I saw something in his eyes, that I've never seen before.

I staggered back, and almost tripped over a root. "You…you…turned someone…into…" I was completely incoherent. Was this some part of Edward I've never seen before? But maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Drawing conclusions. "Please…explain." I needed to hear this from his own words.

In an instant, he was by my side, holding me into his arms. I stroked his face. "Please," I whispered. I felt the flock's eyes on me, but I ignored them.

Edward took a deep breath, holding me tighter. "I…I was hunting with Alice, and we were on our way home. I wasn't thinking of anything but you." He squeezed me slightly. "I was about to go to your house actually. And then…" He closed his eyes, his form becoming stone, "I've never smelled anything like it. Not you, not anyone. The scent consumed me." He seemed to be staring far off, his features contorted. "I ran into the clearing, and there she was. I couldn't stop myself. It was like I was someone else…like I was a monster." He seemed to be ripping at the seams.

"It's okay." He opened his eyes. "What?" He asked in disbelief.

"It'll be alright. You...you had no control over any of this." I couldn't believe I was saying this. He just seemed so…sad. "We'll figure this out." I took a deep breath, and let go of Edward. "Now let me see her."

**HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Caught you, didn't I? Now everything is messed up. And if I get enough reviews, maybe Max will be a vampire by the next chapter. And another fight while the ever so confused Bella is **_**watching. **_**Hmmmm. And maybe another surprise....**

**IF I get enough reviews, that is…**


	12. Chapter 12

**'Kay, guys. This is the SECOND chapter you've been waiting for. Review, please. Let's get it up to ninety five this time!**

Fang's POV

The room looked comfortable, with soft carpet and thick curtains, furniture. But what caught my eye was that stereo system on the side with one whole _wall _packed with CDs and records. I mean, this room probably was stocked better than F.Y.E, or, like, Best Buy.

And in the middle of the room was a huge king sized bed, where Max lay.

Her whole body shook with spasms, her fingers twitching, her eyes slightly bulging. Her hair was matted and tangled, completely wet with cold sweat, and she whimpered and moaned. But something about her was…different. But I didn't really have a mind for it.

"Max?" I whispered. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I couldn't believe what has happened to us, after everything, _everything, _we've been through. First, we get shots, run on treadmills 'til we faint, and chemicals we had to drink. Then death. The agony I had to go through, the agony _she still _goes through because of it, and now this. It all happened to Max. And, every time, I had to watch her suffer.

In a split second, Max jerked her head in my direction. Her eyes bulged, and her body quivered again, her back arching. Collapsing, her mouth twisted in almost a grotesque way, but her eyes remained locked on me. She opened her mouth, and rasped out, "Fang."

And in a split second, I was sitting on the bed beside her, and, with shaking hands, took her in my arms. She moaned horribly, and I grimaced, but held on. And, as gently as I could, I lifted her, and cradled in my arms; I felt my spine scrape the headboard.

"It'll be okay, Max." I muttered helplessly. I reached up and stroked her face, and she breathed raggedly. "You're going to get through this, Max. You're tough! You don't go out on me, you hear?!" My eyes burned. "Only one more day, one more day, and you'll be free. You'll never, _ever, _have to go through this again." My voice cracked slightly.

Three tears rolled down her face, which shocked me, as she gripped my arms with an inhuman force, and she screamed silently. With her free hand, she pounded the bed, once, twice.

The time passed by sporadically, sometimes quickly, sometimes as if the world just suddenly felt like not rotating anymore. Looking into her eyes, I felt her pain.

I don't know how long we went without talking, just me stroking her face, her eyes wild and frenzied as she groaned and screamed almost silently. Day turned to night, and I felt the sun burn my face. There wasn't a sound in the room, but Max screaming and heavy breathing. I don't think I could have spoken anyway.

Well, that is, until someone pushed the door open. I started throwing profanities into their face, thinking it was some leech, but then I stopped short.

She was about seventeen or eighteen, her skin alabaster, but not as white as Edward's, almost translucent. Her long brown hair was pushed back in a ponytail, with a couple of strands hanging carefully around her face. She was slim, and fragile, somehow. Her sweatshirt and jeans hung hugged her frame, and her chocolate brown eyes were wide. I shuddered. They were the same shade of brown as Max's were.

I turned to Edward. "Didn't I tell to get out of my face? Or are you now incoherent?" I snarled. "Get out!" I shouted, pointing at the door, as Max groaned. "Get out of my life!"

He continued to stare at the girl with tenderness, and said, "No. She wanted to see you." He said, tensely. "And anyway, she isn't safe here." She turned toward him lovingly. It made me sick.

I laughed. "_You _want to protected _her _from _me?!" _I yelled as Max yelled. "It seems to me that _she _needs protecting from _you!" _I jumped off the bed, with Max in my arms, whose eyes were lolling in their sockets. "Or from herself, hanging around with your dead carcass!" Her grip was slackening. "See what he'd done?" I asked her. "Do you!?" I got right in her face. "_Max is dead!" _I hurled at her. She flinched, and her eyes darted to Edward. "You look at her, you see her pain, and yet you _sit there, _giving the leech your love adoring crap! He killed her. She's dying. _He lied!_" I whirled around, facing window, breathing hard. I looked down at Max. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was slowing. I slowly put my ear to her chest. So was her heart.

I think…in that instant, I almost gave everything up.

With a burst, the flock charged in, with a frenzied look in all of their faces. I fell to my knees, breathing even harder. "She's gonna die." I muttered.

"Fang, what's happening?" Iggy yelled.

"It's all over."

"Fang, get it together! She's gonna live!" He yelled, dropping down beside me.

Then his face morphed as he listened to her dying heart. He slowly turned on his heels, to stare at Edward without seeing him. "You said she'd be like you."

"She will." He said stiffly, his arm around Bella as she looked at me with pity, and her eyes darting to Max every now and then. "Her heart's slowing, that means the transformation is almost complete." He mused. "How could she heal this quickly? Almost eight hours ahead of schedule."

"Then _why _is her heart about to hit the dang dirt?!" Iggy spat.

"That's the process." Edward said impatiently. Bella said nothing.

"The process." I murmured. His head whipped around to face mine. "Max is dying, and all you can say is that it is part of the _process._" I was calm. Deadly calm.

I picked Max up, and walked toward the bed. I laid her under the covers without a word, and draped them over her. I kissed her cheek. And then I turned, and snapped open my wings. Bella's eyes widened. "There are more of you?" She asked, confused. "I thought…" Her eyes went from Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel, to me, and then, tentatively, to Max. Her eyes widened until I thought they would pop out.

"Would you like to know how we got this way, Bella?" I posed without looking at her.

"How do you—" She wondered aloud, her hands shaking slightly.

"How do I know your name?" I finished her question. "I know a lot more than that." I paused, and took a step toward Edward. "I know one more thing. I know how much you love this leech over here." He glared at me. "You love him a lot, don't you?

"Well, anyways, about your question," I went on, with the flock looking at me weirdly, "We were created by a laboratory. No, not voluntarily. By force. When were little kids. Before we were born." She looked at me in horror.

"Then put these, wings, on us." I explained, calmly. "They infused us with chemicals to see if we weren't killed instantly. Maybe by a slow death. But we survived."

"They made us run through mazes, fight until the death with other kids, and experimented on us until we were almost dead.

"But…we escaped. A whitecoat took us away and raised us for two years. Yeah, he betrayed us and all that, but life goes on. Max took care of us. She was the strong one. She made everyone else strong.

"We're hunted, a lot, you know? Always on the run. For almost a year. Max's the oldest, and she's fourteen. So am I, so is Iggy." I waved my hand vaguely in his direction. "The youngest is Angel, and she's only six years old.

"Max died." I went on, as if talking about the weather. "She was killed by this Eraser. She was dead. And now, she's going to be worse than dead. All because of your damn sweetheart."

I felt my eyesight go red. "Of course, the bloodsucker already knows this. I just wanted to tell you how insane and how much of a killer your boyfriend really is. If I were you, I'd get the hell out." And then Edward did something I've been waiting for. He actually tried to grab me. Stupid jerk.

In an instant, I flapped down my wings hard, seeing him stop below, glaring up at me. "Come and get me." I said, and I suddenly flew through the glass, covering my head with my arms.

I coasted down until I hit the ground with a dull _thud. _I cupped my hands around my mouth. "What're you waiting for?" I yelled. "Get your butt down here, you damn coward!"

Edward, his eyes narrowed, followed me, jumping out the window, and landing gracefully. "So now you're going to try out for ballet?" I snarled. He ignored me.

"Do you really want a piece of me?" Edward asked quietly. "Do you think you can just insult Bella in front of me and get away with it?" So the idiot finally caught on.

"Insulting. No, that was a compliment. "And with that, I finally put him over the edge.

I had a split second to brace myself as he ran at me, and at the last second, I whipped myself around and out of the way. "Reflexes." I said. He whipped around, and a growl issued from his snarling lips. And this time, when he ran at me again, I narrowed my eyes, braced my feet, and cocked my arm into a punch.

My hand hit his nose with a dull _crunch, _and he was thrown back, crashing into a tree. I immediately started _flying _at him then, landing on top of his chest, when his breath left him with a _whoosh. _I cocked my fist back, and sank it in his stomach. I did it again. And again. And soon, I wasn't even thinking. I was sweating, but I didn't feel the pain of my broken hand that splintered every time I punched his rock hard skin. So now, on top of the leg, now I have a broken arm.

And suddenly, he was on top of me, chocking me, his eyes frenzied, his mouth twitching into a growl. "You're never, ever, going insult Bella again." He said softly. "You're never going to hurt her, or look at her, or even _breath _in front of her. You hear me?" I scrabbled at his hands, feeling the air crushing my skull.

"Edward!" Bella yelled. She was running. "Edward!" He ignored her. And I had an idea.

I arched my back, snarling, like Max had done all those months ago to her double, and Edward was thrown off me. I stood up, rubbing my neck, and jumped out of the way as Edward came at me. I followed him, and, taking his head in my hands, rammed his head into the rock. The stone cracked. I slammed it in the boulder again.

His hands wrapped around my arms, and he threw me into the air, breaking my grip on his fat head as I flew above the trees. Talk about sky high.

My wings snapped open as I tried not to lose momentum, and I flapped hard. I raised my eyebrows as I saw him pacing below me, glancing at me with fury every now and then.

I smiled savagely. "You think you can control our lives?" I yelled down at him. I saw him ignoring me. "Then come here and prove it!"

I flew a little lower, taunting him. "Come on, Edward. You know I'm right. You're better off hiding in a three foot by three foot hole than loving up the girl." He continued to stare, anger written all over his face. Bella stopped dead, glaring up at me. He suddenly smiled wickedly.

And suddenly, he started running toward the boulder where I almost happily beat him to death, and jumped off it, kind of like rebounding, pushing off upward.

_Oh Jeez_, was pretty much the thought of the year as I saw him being hurled in my direction.

I tried to backpedal desperately, but he collided into my chest, and we were hurtling through the air, while he sank his fist into my kidney. I yelled in pain.

Then, to make life just _great, _we started colliding into a whole bunch of branches, and I ended up with a huge welt in my cheek when I could finally see the skies again.

The ground seemed to swell as I fell headfirst toward the ground, which was about thirty feet from my face. Edward was on my back, punching me with a cold fury almost equivalent to mine. Bella started running again.

His legs whipped around, and right before we both hit the ground, he took a deadlock hold on my neck.

What would have normally been a face plant into the dirt became a horrible, graceful, landing.

He put both hands around my neck, holding me there as he slowly choked me to death.

"Edward, stop it!" Bella yelled. "Stop it! Don't hurt him!"

I couldn't breath, couldn't hardly think, and I knew I wasn't going to make it. I put myself in a desperate situation where I couldn't win. Huh. I scrabbled uselessly at his hands, feeling an extreme sense of déjà vu, but he only tightened his grip. I thought I heard Iggy calling my name, but I was way out by now. I was seconds from knocking on Death's door.

And then, he was flying in the air, and I dimly saw the shock etched across his face as he collided with the ground. And then he was on his feet, yelling, and broke into a run. I stood up.

Only to be thrown down by someone else.

I looked up, and tried to scream, to yell, to say something.

But an angry Max his hard to persuade, and her red eyes glowed savagely as she grabbed my neck and squeezed.

**HAHAHAHAH!!!!!!! THESE CLIFF HANGINES ARE FUN!!!!!! Don't forget to review!!!!!!!!!!!**


	13. Chapter 13

Max's POV

You know, I _wish _I could describe to you the world I saw when I really _opened _my eyes for the first time, but…this chapter probably will go for another twenty pages. To start. I mean, from a weensy little midlength chapter to the Godzilla of all of them. Jeez, I'm already bored.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, I felt calm. As in, not screaming-my-eyes-out-when-we're-off-course-by-three-degrees kind of calm. As in, not banging-your-freaking-head-into-the-wall-because-you-blew-up-a-building kind of calm. It was new and alien to me, but it felt great.

I narrowed my eyes, blinking against all the snow laying on top of my head…but wasn't I inside? Unless man created a new way to bring weather into some poor schmuck's everyday house, this wasn't water of any kind. I looked harder, and sat up. And then I realized what it was.

It was dust flying through the air, dancing and twirling like some ballet routine you'd see only in the good movies. The light reflected off of the billions of specks in the air, even though it was cloudy, rocketing discretely off the walls, making the dull room brighter. I smiled slightly. Even with my insane hawk-like vision, even _I _couldn't see that well. I looked around, and gasped.

I was looking in a mirror, and someone was staring back at me. Her eyes were completely wide open, as if they'd pop on the floor, and her elegant eyebrows rose dangerously high. She was completely white, like as if someone dumped a whole bunch of flower on top of her, but it made her look defined, and delicate. But this wasn't why I looked so dang shocked.

It was how beautiful she looked. Her arms were poised gracefully on the bed, holding her up, and they connected gracefully with her smooth shoulders. Compared to this figure, Angelina Jolie looked like an American Gladiator on steroids. An ungraceful, freaked out, Angeline Jolie. Not an exaggeration.

Her brown-highlighted hair billowed down her back, a few strands curling in a simple yet stunning way around her angular face. Her perfect, full lips were opened in an _O_ as she looked back at me in astonishment, and the nostrils of her perfect nose were flared. Her she shape of her eyes made her, if possible, even more dazzling, her long eyelashes curled precisely.

But then her eyes looked back at me, her crimson irises, and I saw her reach a perfect, shaky hand toward her eye. I felt my graceful fingers touch my eyelids as she did the same. The purple bruises under my eyes were probably from sleep deprivation or something.

This girl was _me. _

I shot off from the bed, and sprinted toward the glass…and crashed right into wall. I mean, _I ran through it. _The mirror broke into a million pieces as I broke through the barrier, and fell around me in twinkling lights as I worked my way through the wall. "Ahhh!" I yelled, expected to become a human shish kabob ….I stopped, horrified, and pried my eyes open.

First off. I crashed through the freaking wall. And I didn't feel a thing. I looked at my hands.

Second, I've never run that fast before. I've never moved that fast before. I crashed through the wall in what, a millisecond?

Now I was completely freaked out. Something must have happened. The school could have done something to me. They could have done something to the flock. Where am I, anyway? I don't really remember anything but...pain. I shuddered. And then my eyes widened as I thought of something.

Oh my God. My wings. I spun around and tore off my shirt. I think I screamed.

They weren't there. _My wings weren't there. _I could feel them, the bone against my shoulderblade, the feathers tickling my back, but the actual wings were MIA."Oh my God, Oh my God…" I stammered, and then took in breath. I wasn't talking. My lips were moving, but all I heard were bells. A beautiful tone.

A voice that wasn't mine.

I looked for scratches, blemishes, a freaking three-foot-long _scar _for crying out loud, but there wasn't anything but flawless, alabaster skin.

I was breathing fast, my chest heaving, totally overwhelmed by how suckish my life would be without my wings. I mean, despite all of my witty remarks and everything, my wings defined me. They were everything that I was. That I accomplished.

Without thinking, I jumped out the window, and landed graceful without a jolt on the ground. I looked to the left, and then my right. No one. My eyes caught on the lake in front of me. An idea came to me. And I ran around once, twice, three times around the lake. I laughed, feeling the wind through my hair. I skidded to a stop. A humongous lake. In about two seconds. Three times.

I thought about it. I was practically running at the speed of sound. I grinned crazily. I mean, though what happened to me totally sucked and all of that with the wings, it sort of made up for how insanely fast I was.

Hmm. Maybe…maybe it was _more _than speed that made me run through that wall. Maybe it was something else.

I looked around, and found a bounder about three by two inches. I picked it up, and ran it through my fingers. Then, tossing it into my right hand, I put one foot behind me and leaned back, getting ready to throw it…

Suddenly, I heard a dull crunching sound. I looked at my hand where the rock was. Or…where the rock _used _to be.

"No way." I said to myself as I examined the dust. I crushed the rock with my bare hands without even trying. I barely squeezed it, for crying out loud! I laughed again. And then gasped.

There was a scratching in my throat; I never noticed it before. But it felt really uncomfortable, like sandpaper scratching against your skin. Hard. I stretched my neck out. No good. Then I realized what it was. I was hungry. I mean, I hadn't eaten anything in like, three days, which is an all time high for me and the flock—

Oh no. The flock. They could be in danger. Where the heck are they?

I ran toward the house, using my insane vision to look at far places: in the woods, on the high way about three miles away. Nothing. Breathing hard despite the scratchiness, I went around the house. And there they were.

I smile escaped me. They were okay. They were safe. They were…screamin' bloody murder and crying their eyes out.

There faces were etched in horror, their mouth's wide open, while they were trying to hold back Iggy, who was cursing and yelling, "_Let me go, let me go!" _

I walked toward them, intending to smack Iggy upside the head, or, better yet, to smack them _all _upside the head, when I noticed something in the air. I saw it as clear as day.

Fang was up there. He was falling toward the ground, yelling, as another teenager bombarded him with a flurry of punches, kicks. Fang crashed into a whole bunch of trees, while the other one suddenly took a deadlock hold of his neck right before they hit the ground. The guy was choking Fang to death as he landed gracefully on the earth.

And without a thought, I ran. I ran past the flock, who froze as I ran by, I ran past these other people, people with white alabaster skin, circles under their eyes, all who looked extremely beautiful, and I stopped right behind the young man. And taking him by the scruff of the neck, I threw him off Fang, yelling at him, "What the _hell _do you think you're doing—" When suddenly, I whipped around, growling between my bared teeth. Saliva coated my mouth, and I felt my nostrils flare.

Something smelled good. Irresistibly good. Better than a deluxe triple double cheeseburger. With sautéed mushrooms and onions. And a whole bunch of Swiss cheese. The works. I could almost taste it.

Fang was shakily trying to get up, and I could almost see the blood pulsing from his jugular to his head, his cheeks flush. My eyes widened. My body took over before I could back away from him.

I saw my hands throw him down. I saw myself slowly squeezing him to death. His wide eyes looked at me as he scrabbled uselessly, trying to scream, to say something. The blood pulsed madly, and I felt a moan escape my lips.

And I saw his fearful, wide eyes grow larger as I leaned down toward his neck…

Edward's POV

Me, Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle all grabbed Max from her shoulders and arms, pulling her off Fang. She resisted against us, leaning toward the other one, grabbing the air as we pulled her back farther. Our heels dragged in the dirt. She was too strong. Stronger than any newborn I've ever seen. Ever.

Fang was up on his feet, looking at Max with wide eyes as she cried out in frustration. "I don't believe this…" I heard him whisper. He took a step back as she came closer to him. "Let _go _of me!" Max growled.

Fang turned toward the flock. "Guys, go to Bella's house. We'll be there!" Iggy herded the kids away, looking back once. It was almost like he could see. "When are you going to come?" He yelled back.

Fang looked at him. "I don't know." Iggy nodded once, and took off in the air after her the kids. Fang looked back toward us. "What's wrong with her?" He said shakily. "What happened?"

"She's thirsty," Emmett ground out, groaning as he tried to pull her back.

"For what?" Fang asked. And then he realized what it was. He took another step back as his face cleared. "Max?" He said.

Suddenly, we all lurched back as she stopped struggling. Max was breathing hard, looking right into Fang's eyes. Her crazy façade subdued. She didn't say anything, and the connection between them was so strong I had to look away as we dragged her into the house.

I could her dry, almost silent sobs as we locked her in the basement. Carlisle stayed with her. He'd have to explain everything. Meanwhile, I walked outside toward Bella, making my face completely blank. "Let's go." I grabbed her hand and put her in the passenger seat, slamming the door hard as I got in the other side. I heard the engine groan as I hit the gas.

Though I tried to look impassive, I don't think I've ever felt more pain as I drove toward her house. I had to do it. I had to do it _now._

Bella didn't say anything beside me, her eyes darting toward my stiff appearance every now and then. I tried to ignore her, but every now and then I glanced at her quickly.

I pulled into the driveway, stopping in front of her house. I jumped out of the car, and started walking toward the forest. Bella followed, slamming the door as she hurried to catch up with me. I walked in silence, my face morphing from pain, to anger, to angst. I stopped about a hundred feet from the forest line.

I waited, hating myself, hating what I was about to do as I looked into Bella's trusting eyes. I took a deep breath.

"Bella." I said with no emotion. Dully and lifelessly. "We have to leave." She just stared at me, dumbstruck, for a minute. Then she was waken from her trance.

She nodded her head, looking certain. "Okay. This wasn't what I hoped, to be perfectly honest, but under the circumstances—" She stopped short as I looked into her eyes coldly.

"We have to leave. The hospital is starting to grow suspicious. Carlisle's claiming he's thirty-three; the staff's extremely skeptical. We can't keep this up much longer." I took another deep breath. "I won't let you suffer with me, Bella. You too good for that." I scrutinized her reaction. She seemed to understand.

"Edward, what happened back there was _nothing! _It wasn't your fault. You had no control, Edwar! And You've been acting weird ever since the birthday party, don't think I didn't notice! This isn't your fault. We can work around this!"

"Jasper acted exactly how he should've. _I _acted exactly as I should've. And Max did too. We're vampires, Bella. This is what we do. You're smart enough to know that." I almost ripped open my heart just then. Bella taking the blame for _my _mistakes?

"Edward, there must be an alternative for what's happening. You could stay—"

"I'm tired of doing this with you, Bella." I stifled a moan as she looked back in shock. "We can't keep this up, Bella. I have to be with my kind, I can't just pretend to be someone I'm not, its getting extremely weary." It was all I could do to keep my voice steady.

She blinked. "If…if that's what you want." Her voice shook. For a minute I couldn't speak. How could she give in that quickly? Did she really think I've been living a lie for almost _seven months? _She seemed so sure, as if this is how it was supposed to be, as if I'd actually survive with someone else. _How _could she think that? But I had to keep up the act.

"I do." I tried to say it like it was actually true. "We're leaving in the morning." My hands balled into fists as I lied right to her face.

"Please." She whispered. "Please don't leave me."

I won't, I wanted to say. I won't ever leave you. _I love you. _But my mouth said, "You can't stop me from going, Bella." Tears fell from her eyes. I resisted the urge to wipe them off of her beautiful face, to tell her everything would be fine.

I took a step back. "Bella?" I said. "Could you promise me something?"

She wiped her tears away. "Anything." She said.

"Don't fall into the ocean or anything. Try to take care of yourself." I had to make sure she'd be safe. It was the last thing I could try to do. "For Charlie and Renee, I mean. You need to think of them." My eyes burned as I looked into hers, not breaking contact.

"Okay." She breathed. I almost sighed in relief.

"And take care of the flock as well." She nodded, wiping the tears from her face and sniffing loudly.

And, it took all of my will, all of my power, to turn around and run away.

**Okay, guys!!!!!!!!!! I hope I made up for the horrible cliffie! You all seemed like you were about to strangle me! But please, review! The reviews for the last chapter were awesome!! Let's go for.... 112!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just tell me anything that you want about the story. Believe me, I'm all ears.**

**Oh, and one more thing. One of the reviewers was confused about the whole red eye think in the last chapter. Well, when vampires are 'born' they start out with red eyes. It's in Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, if you want to look it up.**

**Remember, one hundred and twelve! The Big 1-1-2!!!! Love you guys! (NOT in that way!)**

**-Pegasus**


	14. Chapter 14

Thanks guys for all of the reviews. They mean a lot to me. When I get reviews, especially long reviews its what keeps me alive! I live off of your reviews. They help me breathe….Reviewers, reviewers, you are my inspiration…

**NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!! (I haven't said that for a while)**

Fang's POV

I sat outside the steel door, waiting. Waiting for the doctor to get out of the freaking hidey-hole so I could talk to Max. Or…whatever she was. I was half sure that she was gone. Dead as a door hinge. Kicking the jar…whatever.

I combed my hair through my fingers, sighing as I leaned against the wall. I couldn't hear anything that was going on. It was like a dang isolation tank. Except I could move. And feel stuff.

"They're going to be awhile, you know." I looked up. Alice stood above me, looking at me with melancholy eyes.

I turned my eyes toward the ground again. "Well, I'm staying."

She sighed, and plopped down next to me. I looked at her, completely unfazed, but then again, completely surprised. What was she doing? Then she got to the point. No preamble, no, _you're not going to like this_, or anything. It was refreshing. And totally messed up at the same time.

"I know you don't like us, Fang. Who we are, why we're here and everything. But don't hold it against us. It's not like it was our decision."

I looked over at her. "What? What else do you want me to do? A little dance to entertain you? Or how 'bout letting your fake daddy dissect me so he can see the wonders of my anatomy?" I snorted.

For a moment she stayed impassive, scrutinizing me. And then she said, "How do you know?"

"Know what? You're diabolical plan to invite the president for dinner?"

She shook her head, ignoring me. "No, how do you know we're not related?"

I shrugged. "Just because I don't talk much doesn't mean I don't _see _things. I'm not stupid like Edward, for instance"

Instantly, her expression hardened.

"Don't say that. You don't know how much he's done for Bella. Don't ever say that. Ever." Whoa. So that kitty cat has claws, huh?

I stood up. "I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, okay? I'm just trying to talk to Max—are you okay?" I asked, totally interrupting myself.

Her face became oddly blank, like she was seeing something far away. Her whole body was limp, she wasn't breathing, and she didn't even blink. And then she gasped. Her hands covered her face so quickly I would have missed it if I blinked. She stayed like that for a minute.

"Fang." She spoke in a whisper. "Do you want to see who Edward really is?" Her voice shook, as if she was crying.

"Well, yeah, but it's not like—"

"Do you remember the clearing where you stayed at two nights ago?"

"You mean the one where you almost killed me?"

She ignored my question again. "Fly there. Fly there _now._"

"But what about Max—?"

"Edward will tell you when to come back. If he can."

"Whoa. What do you mean, "If he can?""

"Just go!"

Looking straight forward, I walked into the living room, not looking at the rest of the coven staring at me as I made my way through the door. It was time to finally figure out who Edward really was.

And I intended to find out.

Iggy's POV

"Iggy?"

Silence. I gotta be strong.

"Iggy?"

Nothing. I will _not _give in. I won't say _anything. _

"_Iggy." _

"What?!" I finally yelled. Cut me some slack. It's hard ignoring an eight-year-old, okay?

"Where's Fang?" Gazzy piped.

I sighed. "He's trying to talk to Max, get her to remember who her own family is."

I heard something drip to the floor. I think it was a tear, which surprised me. We never cried. "What happened to her?" Angel asked shakily. Her voice quivered. "When I tried to get into her mind, I was pushed back…and—" She sniffed. "It was like she didn't even remember us."

I could almost feel the epic waterfall of tears approaching. I walked over to her, and kneeled so that I was facing her eyes. Max told me they were blue. I don't really remember ever looking into them. I guess I never really cared. Until now. "I don't know what happened to her, Angel." I whispered, trying to see her, to tell her everything. "But you can bet your butt I'll take care of you if things get…complicated. So will Fang."

"But," Nudge sniffed, "She was, like, a mother to us. You can't do that, Iggy; no matter how hard you try. You can't be a mother."

I smiled as I looked over. "Well, maybe I could fly by the school and ask them for a gender change..." I shuddered comically, trying to get the kids spirits up. "_Then _I could be a mother. " Nudge laughed shakily and walked over to me. I kissed her cheek and rubbed her shoulders.

Then I stopped. I turned my head, listening.

"Iggy—?"

"Shhh."

I heard something. Sobbing. Coming from outside. Someone was crying.

I stood up, and slid over by the window. Opening it, I listened, feeling the wind brush my cheeks.

I heard the leaves on the ground shudder. The rest of the kids came to watch. "Where's Bella going?" Angel asked, sounding confused as she grabbed my hand.

My eyes narrowed. That was an excellent question.

I waited. Waiting for her to come back. Still crying her eyes out, probably. Creating more rain here, as if there wasn't enough, for crying out loud. Ha. Get it? _Crying _out loud, like, you know actually _crying_…never mind.

But she didn't come back. And, even know I'd only talked to her for about two seconds, I got a little worried. It began to grow colder.

"Right." I said, making a split decision. "I think we need to—"

I froze. The gravel on the driveway shifted as a car roared up toward the house. "Quick, hide!" I dove toward the bed…and smacked my head against the headboard. "Ow."

"Iggy!" Nudge grabbed my hand and stuffed me in the closet. She squeezed in next to me. This was a really small closet. Especially when you have six bird kids in a freaking three by three foot hole in the wall. Very comfortable. I could feel Nudge up against me, her heart beating through her shirt. Dude, it was like, extremely cozy. No joke.

"Ow! Watch where you put your foot, Gazzy!" Angel whispered loudly.

"That wasn't me! And stop breathing on me…"

"I'm way over here!"

"Then how could I have stepped on your foot—?"

"Shut up!" I whispered frantically. I heard the door slam.

"Bella, you home?" I heard a male voice call out. Probably her dad. I smacked my forehead…or at least tried to. Why didn't I go after her? I think my two-year-old IQ jumped down to a negative seven.

"Bella?" He called again. I heard his footsteps make come up the stairs.

"No one move." I breathed.

The door opened. "Bella?" He walked toward the window. "Bella!" He yelled. I heard him go toward the door again and run down the stairs. I heard a click, I heard him talking frantically. "Jessica? Is that you? Yeah, it's Charlie. Have you seen Bella anywhere? Is she at your house?" A pause. "Well, can you call me if you see her? Yeah, thanks. Bye." He slammed the phone on the receiver, and picked it up again. I heard him dialing.

"Get out! Get out!" I pushed them out as the door flew open. "We got to find her, "I said as I strained to hear the guy, Charlie.

He was talking again. "Billy? Have you seen Bella? I don't know what happened—is she down by the reservation? Well, I'm going out to find her, but look and see, will you? And if I don't call…yeah, that's a good idea. Bring them all. Thanks, Billy. Bye." The phone slammed on the receiver again.

"Let's go!" I yelled. I ran toward the window, and jumped off of it. I snapped open my wings, and I descended toward the ground. There was no way we could fly in _that _forest. The trees are so close together it was almost like they were making out.

And without a thought, I walked into the forest. "OW!"

I hit the tree square on. Again.

Fang's POV

You know, once on this T.V. show, one I watched when I was a kid, there was this documentary called, "How Stress Can Kill." Of course, if stress _really _puts you six feet under, I'd pretty much be in a six by three foot hole in the ground, you know?

I scanned the horizon, looking, searching, for the clearing Alice told me about. Keeping my wings extended, I glided on the air currents, and sighed. My life was so god-dang complicated.

How the heck am I supposed to talk to a fourteen-year-old deranged, mutant bird kid vampire? Do you think I'm a talkative person? Does your little, human brain understand my situation? No. But I'm trying to help you understand. Fat chance, right?

Is there even a chance for her to be Max again? After what Edward did to her…I'm not sure of it. I'm not sure of anything anymore. In my world, there were experiments ran by the school that either turned horribly wrong, or lived long enough to be killed in the future. It's pretty simple. But _now, _I have to deal with genetically deranged vampires that are probably planning to kill us _all_. A fly in the ointment for you.

My eyes locked on a wide-open space in the middle of a bunch of huge trees, and within seconds, I landed on the spot and shook out my wings, trying to get the kinks straightened out. I decided that maybe it was better for Edward, you know, not to see me when he's doing whatever he's doing, so I shifted behind a tree and waited.

While I was watching out for the pale freak, I ran conversations in my head. Which were all pretty stupid. _Hey, Max. How's it going? You remember me? The guy you almost freaking _killed_ while on your hunt for blood? You don't…well, can't say I haven't tried, heh heh. Got to go—I'll bring you some nice, tasty whitecoats in the morning, and we'll try again…no, wait, stop, _stop. Don't do it! _I'm too young to die! DON'T EAT ME! _

Yeah. Real smooth.

A twig broke from far away, barely making a sound.

My head swiveled so fast it cracked. My eyes locked on something. It was getting closer…

And suddenly, Edward burst through the trees, skidding to a halt. His eyes darted around, looking crazed, his fingers clenched into fists, and he was half-crouched, as if ready to kill someone. His whole body vibrated, like he was having a seizure. My eyebrows constricted as I looked closer. His eyes…there were something about his eyes. The look…I couldn't recognize it.

For a moment he just stood there, not breathing; his eyes weren't darting around anymore. For a second, it looked like he was marble, like a sculpture in the middle of freaking nowhere.

And then, he snapped.

He shot out his arm, and with a pained yell, he uprooted a tree as thick as my waist and hurled it so far that I couldn't even see where it landed. His hands knotted in his hair, as if he was trying to pull his hair out. He uprooted another tree, and, with a great tremor, broke it clean in half. He chucked one away, and with the other one, he smashed another trunk to pulp.

My eyes widened. What was with this guy? I think the men in white lost a patient…

His rock-hard fist collided with a huge rock by the river, and the boulder cracked. He then, fell to his knees, and covered his face, his shoulders shaking.

I looked down. Seriously, this guy was an one hundred and five on the-totally-messed-up-men scale going from one to ten. Something must have happened. Did Bella…no; he was too much of a coward. But maybe…

I don't know how long I stayed there, watching him. It was kind of painful to see.

I remember the day I buried Max. Though only a couple of months, it seemed like a lifetime ago. I hurled the shovel into the tree, I was yelling at nothing; the flock thought I was crazy or something. Edward was acting the way I did. He looked just as crazy as I might have.

And then he spoke. Without looking up, without taking his white hand away from his face, he said, "Enjoying the show, are you?"

**Haha!!!! Haha!!!! Man, I just **_**love **_**these cliffhangers.**

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	15. Chapter 15

**Cool, guys, cool. Took a month…maybe two…or three…but now I've finally got 126 reviews!!! So now…I update! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now let's go for 140!!!!**

**NOW ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Max's POV

My mind, completely blank, for the first time in my life, came up with no snide comebacks as I was dragged away from Fang. The guy I loved. The guy I almost _killed._

Instantly I started hyperventilating, and my mind burst with thoughts clear as day as I processed what I've just done.

And before I was hurled in my chamber of death—okay, they set me down nicely, told me the doctor, Carlisle, would come and talk to me and all of that crap—but before all that, I saw something I would never forget for the rest of my sad, pathetic life.

I saw the flock, staring at me as if I was a demon right outta hell. As I was sitting in _my_ own personal hell, I only saw their dirt-streaked, shocked faces. They were afraid of _me. _The girl who had watched over them since they were all in diapers. The girl who taught them how to read, how to write, how to kick some serious Eraser butt. I was basically like, a mother to them. But now…now I—what was I now?

And I heard the door open. I wasn't surprised. I didn't go out in a full out "Live free Die Hard" stance, ready to make some men cry. I didn't even blink. I heard the guy from a mile away. I could hear everything, from the insect crawling across the ground two miles off, to the flock taking off into the air. I closed my eyes, surprised I wasn't leaking the waterworks. My flock. Taking off away from me. Right now.

The door opened, wider, and I deliberately looked away from the doctor. "Max?" He knocked on the door softly. I had to let out a bitter chuckle on that one. I mean, what's the point of knocking when they already opened the freaking door?! How stupid was this guy?

Smiling with no real humor, I turned my head away from the wall I had stared at for the past two seconds and laid on my back, looking out the window. I didn't want to talk to the guy who took my life away. And then I instantly sat up. _My _life. What had he done to the flock? Was he tracking them? Was this guy going to hurt them too? My head whipped around, and I felt a lethal growl escape from my throat. Someone was going to die today. If he laid one finger on those kids…let's just say that the only thing that'll be left of _him _will be his ego.

"Who are you?" I seethed, baring my teeth, looking like a demon straight out of hell. Or at least I tried to look like one. I couldn't actually tell. "What do you want?"

With that, Carlisle smiled slightly. "I'm just here to help, Max." He walked over, and as he passed through the sunlight, I gasped.

He looked like the sun. A thousand diamonds dripped off of him, emitting light throughout the room. To put it blankly, he sparkled. _He was _freaking _sparkling. _

Instantly, I went into total battle mode, into a tense crouch, my face with no humor on it. I curled my lip and snarled. "Don't get any closer. You take a step, and I'll rip out your spine through your teeth." Was I good or was I good?

Carlisle nodded once, and planted his feet right next to each other, like he was a marine or something. "I know this is hard to take in, Max, but you have to understand what's happening. Trust me, it will make everything easier for you." He smiled, and for the first time I realized how cute he was. Then I figured out how totally _disgusting_ that sounded. But what he said made me think, huh. Imagine that. This guy looked like he actually cared. Well, too bad.

"Uh, Cowbrain, is it—?" I began. The white coat didn't flinch. "Uh, not that this whole thing hasn't been _fun, _but, you know, I've got places to go, things to do." I clenched my fists. "And if you don't tell me what the _heck _you did to me, one of those things involves _kicking your ass." _

Carlisle looked at me in a way that made me want to puke. "Max, I can't even imagine what your feeling right now. But if you want me to tell you the way it is, I'm not sure how you'll react. This may put you into shock."

"Okay, enough with the sweet talk, retard!" I growled, curling my lip. "_Tell…me what…happened." _I crouched lower, all business. My fists shook slightly, and my face felt like it was burning.

He closed his eyes, as if he didn't want to look at me. "Max, you're a vampire."

For a minute I couldn't comprehend what he said. I totally forgot the attitude, the look, the attack mode I was about to get into. I even forgot about the flock. I don't know, it just seemed so… then I burst out laughing.

He opened his eyes and sighed, as if he knew what my reaction would be. But I couldn't help it. And…in some way, I wasn't laughing because it was funny. I was laughing…because as crazy as it was, it was probably true. I mean, why not? If there are bird kids…and the bloodlust, the speed, the drop dead gorgeous looks…it all made sense.

I was a vampire.

Fang's POV

God. You just can't sneak up on people like in the old days. You know…where they _didn't know you were watching them. _

But apparently Edward had the ears of a bat or something, and he still didn't look at me. In fact, his face was buried in his hands, and his dry sobs echoed in the silent.

'Kay guys. You know me. You know I'm not emotional. Outwardly, I mean. Like, if I blinked as erasers carried us into a cage, it would be a huge step for me.

But, I decided, since I was subdued right now (as in I didn't feel like ripping out his throat) I thought, you know what? This could be a good time to know an enemy. 'Cause, right now, the saying, "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer," made a whole lot of sense.

And…despite what he had done to Max, despite the fact that he _ruined my life, _I felt bad for him. Come on! I have a soft side! You just…never see it.

Cautiously, I took a step closer. And another. Until I had taken so many steps I was right next to him. I sat down in the grass, brushing the dirt from my already dirty jeans. "Did you know you ruined my life?" I asked casually.

For a minute he said nothing. And then he raised his head and slowly turned it toward me. "Did you know," he ground out, clenching his jaw, "that as of now, I have no life left to live?" He looked out into the trees, as still as stone.

I stared at him, unfazed. "Yeah," I said sarcastically, "what'd you find out? That you're not God?" I shook my head, pretending to feel bad. "Dang it. Compared to that, the fact that you turned Max into a freaking _leech_ just seems so…trivial."

"But you'll still see her again, won't you?" He asked suddenly. His eyes burned into mine, and I couldn't distinguish whether his statement was a question or a fact. But it still completely threw me off. "You'll love her, no matter what, Fang?"

I couldn't speak.

"You'll be able to kiss her, to hold her in your arms, won't you? You'll guide her when she's confused, and wipe away her sorrows." This whole time he spoke unblinkingly as he slipped off the rock and fell to his knees. "You'll _be there, _no matter what, no matter what's happening, and when she's in pain, _you _will be the one that helps her heal.

"And if you can't sleep," here his voice broke, "you'll be able to watch her dream."

He looked far away, as if seeing someone. "She's so beautiful, when she sleeps…" His eyes were incredibly sad. "And…she whispers my name…so many…times…" The poor guy couldn't go on. He buried his face in his hands.

I stood up and looked around. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why'd she break up with you? Was it your narcissism? 'Cause I can totally relate."

Before I knew it, he had me against a tree, his fingers of one hand grasped around my neck, his eyes lit as if on fire, not relenting even as I gasped for breath. "I wish she had," he moaned, his face inches from mine. He gave me a shake. "She is the sweetest, kindest girl alive. I've been waiting for someone like her _my whole life, _because of my selfishness, I thought this could work. I thought I could control my actions. She deserves more than a filthy, stinking, grotesque, _monster."_ Then the light was gone from his eyes, and he slumped on the rock again, as if too tired to stand. "I had to leave her. That was the only way… make her understand how much I love her."

For a moment I didn't say anything. I understood what he felt. His life was falling apart, because he loved a girl he could never be with. He was a monster. And she was a human. From two different worlds.

"Like me and Max." I uttered without emotion. Yet I felt like a barrier in me had been broken. It was hard to accept. Harder than anyone could imagine. And in addition to blinking, I actually staggered back until I was leaning heavily on a tree.

"What did you say?" Edward wondered dully.

"I can't be with her."

"With who?"

This time, I became angry. My mind became blank, and I felt like was ripping out his trachea through his perfect white teeth. I stalked right up to Edward and dropped down right in front of him. My eyes were swelling up. Great.

"With Max, your creep! Can you get that through that granite skull of yours? She's so beautiful…so fierce, and…and… I mean, LOOK AT ME!" I roared. Edward stared at me in shock. I think Bella was almost wiped from his mind. But his face still screamed his pain. But mine was even stronger. "For a time, I was happy! We were always on the run, right? Of course, as a pampered pooch, you wouldn't know anything about eating garbage out of dumps in the back of McDonald's, or running for your life from one _hundred, _flesh eating dogs, or Erasers scrabbling at your back!"

And with all my force, I let out the memory that gave me nightmares every night. The night that Max died. I remembered her gasping for breath, breathing in my ear, "_I love you." _Kissing her soft lips. And that light. Those lights I look into everyday…blinking out for what I thought was forever.

Edward looked shocked. His eyes stared unblinking into my own as he took everything in. And I let him have all of it.

"You'll never have to go through that. Max is _everything _to me. She's the reason I get up to this God-Forsaken earth. _She's _the reason that I go through all of this crap every _freaking day_. And…" I looked away from Edward. "I don't know what to do now."

And I didn't. I didn't even know if I would ever see Max again.

Max, so beautiful, so fierce, battling the Erasers and those flyboys, with that fire coursing through her eyes… her wonderful laugh, like bells, like the wedding bells I've seen on T.V. And those eyes...she was _everything_ to me. Everything.

So, I figured, I would try. I would try to save her. I would tell her that I loved her. For real. Maybe that would help. Heck, maybe she would forget her whole craving for blood thing and come back. To me.

But that was all I could do.

Because there's her…Maximum Ride.

And then there's me.

The freak.

'**Kay guys. Let's go for 140. And if there are 145…I've got as surprise for you guys. I will not update until I GET THE 140! COOL!**

**-Pegasus**


	16. Chapter 16

**Yo, Kids. Man, all of you reviewers are so awesome. I want to say you guys are psychedelically amazizing!!!! 'Kay, I want to make a few shout outs and comments, yo.**

**To:**

**Soccerislife14- Jeez, I hope you got your sleep…Ha ha!**

**Yo, Denad- I LOVE long reviews. So don't say sorry. Keep them coming, kid (don't take that personal, I say "kid" to everyone).**

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**To ALL- Love your reviews. I hope you review every time. Thanks.**

NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Iggy's POV

Man, my brain felt like it had been beaten with a pointy dagger. I mean, how would _you _like it if you had a lump the size of Texas growing out of your head?! Blindness does have its drawbacks, you know.

Just saying.

"Iggy?" Nudge poked me on the shoulder.

I didn't even try ignoring her. She's just too sweet. "Yeah?"

"Where're we going?" I imagined her big brown eyes looking up at me. Fang told me they were sort of chocolaty.

"We're on a mission, Nudge," I said flatly, trying to sound as if I actually knew what I was doing.

"For what?" Angel asked, sounding tired as we scanned the brush. Well, they looked; I just sort of pointed and shouted at them like a complete maniac.

"For Bella. I think she went that way…" I gestured vaguely toward the left, and everyone followed.

Of course, since I can't see squat (unless it's standing against some white…like a freaking cliff in Antarctica), this observation was totally, like, off the record. I mean, for God's sake, if I can't feel or hear anything, I'm doomed. And of course, I couldn't hear Bella, and if I felt her...let's just say

But now the sky was black, as Gazzy said (or yelled in my ear) only minutes ago. How long have we been searching? Seconds…minutes…months? You tell me. 'Cause I don't know. It's not like I can actually see a clock or anything.

"What time is it?" I asked anyway. "Is the sun gone or something? It feels kind of cold, you know?"

"That's 'cause we're in the _forest, _Igs." Gazzy said, as if my two year old IQ hit an all time low. "And we're, like, surrounded by _trees." _

"We can't even see the sky, Iggy," Nudge pointed out, touching my arm.

"We're in the shade," Angel piped up, as if trying to help my cause. Yeah, thanks, Angel, for the _great _feedback.

"Guys, guys!" I yelled, "Let's not lose ourselves here, okay? Can someone tell me the time or what?"

I heard some tapping, "Nope, my watch's broken," Nudge said sadly.

Dang it.

Obviously, there's been no sign of Bella. We looked high and low: over trees, under trees, _through _trees, and even _in_ the freaking trees. There's nowhere left to look. This whole forest seems to be like a wall of—

"OW!" I yelled. Right in the same spot.

"Tree." Nudge pointed out.

"Yeah, thanks for the warning."

"Well, _excuse me—"_ Nudge started angrily, before I cut her off. I could just imagine her shock. Apparently she knew it, too. I heard a quick intake of breath. "Did you just—"

"Nudge, be quiet. I think I hear something." I cocked my ear to the side, and the flock soon became dead silent, probably watching me lose my mind.

There. The sound came toward the left, and I heard a faint mumbling, mixed in with a bunch of crying and dry sobs. Yet the voice seemed sort of…out of it. Like the person was half-conscious. Was Bella hurt? "Flock, fall in," I ordered.

No one moved. I raged on anyway. "Okay, Bella is over there." I pointed into the trees. Or what I assumed were trees. For I knew I could have been pointing at a rabid bear. "Now, don't scare her, okay guys? She's having a hard time. Just…act cool." And with that heart-warming speech, I trudged deeper into the forest.

For some time we were tripping over ourselves, getting our already filthy pants even more dirty, before Nudge whispered Bella's name. The moaning was the loudest it had been yet.

I tiptoed toward Bella carefully, and called out, "Bella?" as nicely as I could. Or, in other words, I wasn't yelling at anyone, which was pretty cool on my scale.

"Edward?" She slurred, and I heard a small and distinct _thump _on the ground.

"Ahhh, she fainted," Gazzy muttered.

"Uh, let's take her back to Charlie's." I said, thinking fast. "He must be having a seizure right about now." I picked her up (she was _extremely _heavy, I almost dropped her again. But she wasn't fat, exactly. Honestly, she was kind of skinny) and decided to walk back toward the house, find a clearing, and get the heck out of there.

And then a voice came out through the darkness. "What are you doing?"

I whirled around, almost dropping Bella again. The voice was deep and husky.

"Guys," I muttered under my breath, "who are these people."

"Don't know," Angel murmured. She was silent for a second, and then she gasped.

"What? What is it?" I asked worriedly, not even bothering to keep my voice on the down low. Angel didn't answer.

"I've never seen you before," The deep-voiced guy boomed again. "Now, put down the girl. Where're you from?"

"Whoa, there, eager one," I said. "For your information, we don't even know who _you _are, so we're just going to go…"

There was some rustling, and as I turned around, I slammed into a rock. With skin. "OW!" The lump on my head grew to the size of Texas. "Fourth time, man. Fourth time!"

"Fourth time what?" Another husky voice came out from the darkness. Dang it, how many are there?

"You're werewolves," Angel said suddenly. My head snapped to her direction so fast I almost broke my neck. Rubbing it angrily, I asked the question that would get allll the answers, baby. "What?! Where the heck did that come from?!"

Angel felt like she was about to cry. "I don't know!" She wailed. "I just heard them in my head. They can read each other's minds." And with a curiosity only a freaking _six-year-old, _her freight of tears went gone, baby gone, and next thing I knew, she walked away from me, and I heard a faint tugging, as if she was pulling on the shirt of those deep-voiced…werewolves. "Can you read my mind?" She asked curiously. "Wouldn't that be really cool?! Edward can read minds too…and it's so cool and like—" In one fluid motion, I felt a soft slap, and the talking stopped.

"Angel, _shut up_!" Nudge said, dragging Angel back to my side.

For a moment, an overwhelming mount of tension rose in the air, and nobody spoke.

"Werewolves?" One finally scoffed, acting casual. "Man, that's sweet, kid. You must be crazy!" He laughed, but it was a tight sound. Dead giveaway, dude.

Dead giveaway.

"I think you werewolves have to get out," I growled, bracing myself. I hoped this wouldn't come to a bloodbath, but, hey, it's _my _life, remember?

"We were sent here to find Bella." The first one spoke again, sounding completely serious. "I think you kids need to go back home."

"Uh, how about, _no,"_ I said. "We came to find Bella. We found her. Now we're taking her back to Charlie."

"How do I know you're not _lying?"_

"You don't."

"Then, you should give her to us."

There was some rustling again, and suddenly Bella was torn from my grip.

"NO!" I yelled, and punched him in the face, feeling his nose crack.

"Sam!"

"_Iggy!" _

In these moments where feuds are _bound _to leak out, quick thinking has to be in order. Smart thinking. Wise knowledge.

So, of course, I did the stupidest thing I could. I took a step forward while the guy was howling in front of my like a wet puppy, scooped up Bella, and started running.

Edward's POV

I couldn't digest what I was hearing. Fang loved her more than I thought. He shuts himself down sometimes…I can't get anything from his head. I've never been more alone in my life.

Fang almost looked scared, as if without Max he wouldn't know what to do. He began pacing back and forth, back and forth. Then he looked at me.

"What are you staring at?" He asked snidely. He continued to look at me for a minute, and started pacing again.

I stayed mute, thinking of Bella.

I didn't know how she would react to my decision. No, I knew _exactly _what she would think. I had to smile faintly. She was so headstrong. And beautiful. I trembled slightly. I won't have the courage to stay away from her. I couldn't do it. I clenched my fists, and narrowed my eyes. For Bella, I _must_. For her, _I had to. _It was all I was living for any more.

Hating every dead bone in my body, I wearily stood up. Fang looked up again, surprised. I picked up from his head, _What's the leech up to?_ I had to chuckle. Without humor of course. Nothing seems really comical to me anymore.

I breathed, imagining myself in Bella's arms, completely unafraid of caressing her cheek, of holding her close to my heart. I closed my eyes, picturing her perfect face, those deep, chocolate, sparkling brown eyes. Those beautiful eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Fang," I said, my eyes still closed. God, how I hated myself.

I could almost feel the tension suddenly spark from his body. "What are you talking about?" He said suspiciously.

"I can't, Fang. As much as you think you're a helpless victim, the fact is that you're dangerous. Especially Max. You may have the power to control yourself, Fang. You have a good heart. And so does Max. But now, she's as much as a monster as I am, I'm afraid. Even more so. She's stronger, she's faster, her hearing's keener and her eyesight is more intense." I opened my eyes, and saw Fang's horrorstricken eyes.

"Let me talk to her." He said, his eyes blazing. "I can get her to relax. I'm the only one who can!"

I shook my head, and then for an moment, my world was blinded by images.

Bella was sitting against the wall of her room, glaring at me as I leaned up against the wooden desk at the opposite side of the room.

"What do you want me to do, Bella?" I asked softly. "I'm a monster. So is Max."

She shook her head, and I saw a tear trickling down her check. "No, you're not." With a small heave, she righted herself from the ground. "I love you, Edward. Being who you are is the reason why! You're not a monster, or a freak, or whatever you think you are! You are _you," _And in one fluid motion, she walked over with perfect grace, cupped my face in her hands, and kissed me, so warm and tender.

It took all my strength to turn my face away, and I caught a glimpse of the hurt on her face. Just to make her smile again… "I love you, Bella. And _this _is why I'm doing this. I don't want to hurt you! I would never, _ever, _want to hurt you!

"I mean, I'm a freak, Bella! So is Esme. Emmett. Jasper. Alice. And now a girl, a child…" I almost ripped my hair out. "I can't do that to you." Then I turned around, to Bella's tear-stricken face. And in my imaginary world, a single tear cascaded down my pale face…

"Edward?" Fang was right in front of me, snapping me back into the present. "What are you playing at?" He yelled. "Get out with it!"

"We're leaving," I blurted out. "And we're taking Max with us."

Fang seemed too shocked to move. "Wh-what?" he said. This was the first time he lost his cool. Then he blinked once. "What are you talking about? Where in _hell _can you take her?" He seemd to argue with himself for a second. Then he said, "Me and the flock'll come with you." He took a step toward me, and in my peripheral vision I saw his hands clenched into fists. "Don't you realize how important she is to the flock? How can you just take her away? We're going."

"But you can't, Fang." I wouldn't let him.

And just like my vision, I turned. Fang still didn't move. And before I ran, before I promised never to come to this meadow again, or this _town,_ I whispered brokenly, "I'm so sorry."

**Okay, guys. 155 reviews. Here we go…**

**-Pegasus**


	17. Chapter 17

Max's POV

Carlisle opened his mouth, probably ready to reveal another horrific fact about vamps that would send me totally off my rocker, when his head snapped toward the window.

Edward materialized in front of it, his face expressionless, as he said, "He's coming. We have to leave _now." _

Carlisle looked back at me. "Max, we have to go. Fang's coming."

"Flying," Edward pointed out before he disappeared. I heard his soft footsteps pound up the staircase of the house.

We're leaving? When did that come up? And—Fang's coming. I almost breathed a sigh of relieve. _He was coming back. _I could apologize. I could take care of the flock again. "Do you honestly think I would listen to you?" I growled. "Fang's coming. And I'm gone." I turned toward the window, ready to break it open, before I felt a strong hand on my shoulder.

Emmett smiled. "Hey, Max." He said brightly.

"Max," Carlisle begged, "you can't go back with them."

Then my head was spinning. "Why in _hell _can't I?" I said. I jerked my arm from Emmett's grip, and his eyes widened. Then his face broke out into a grin.

"You can't go with Fang, Max. Look what you did!" He said, pointing at his hand. "Look how strong you are. I wasn't using all of my strength, but you totally smacked my hand away as if it were, like, a feather!" Then he was serious. "What would happen if you did that to Fang?"

"His arm would be broken, and his shoulder would shatter." Edward materialized—again—next to me. "You're dangerous, Max.

"If you pushed Angel, for example, she would die instantly. Her chest would cave in." He continued.

"Stop," I mumbled. These people didn't understand. I wouldn't do that.

"Yes you would," Edward said, which made my eyes dart toward him. So he's reading my mind, huh? Now I've got two of them to deal with.

"Carlisle had come with this theory, why vampires bring special…abilities with once they complete the transformation. They're strongest personality trait, only made stronger, or a skill they had in a former life. I can read minds, Alice can see into the future, and Jasper can control the emotions around him." He pointed to Emmett. "Emmet brought his strength, Rosalie her…stubbornness, Carlisle brought his compassion, and Esme brought her ability to love."

All at once, the room was calm, and I suddenly felt really relaxed. My tense shoulders loosened up. "But, you are stronger than any vampire Max. And you brought with you emotions that would kill your flock stone dead if you even touch them." The relaxation vanished.

"I wouldn't hurt them. I wouldn't. I'm their—" I gulped. "I'm their sister. And…and a mother, in some ways."

"Well, I didn't see any motherly affection when you nearly ripped Fang to pieces," Edward said casually. He blinked once, and his expression became blank. He took a deep breath. "He doesn't love you anymore, Max. I'm sorry."

All at once, it seemed I was staring at his face from a hundred yards away instead of just one, and every sound I heard echoed inside my head. "You're lying," I croaked.

"He told me in the woods when I finally had the chance to calm him down. He's worried about the flock. And…" he faltered slightly. "And he doesn't want to see you ever again. He's afraid you'll hurt everyone."

I opened my mouth, and then closed it again. "He…he doesn't love me?"

"No. We have to leave Max. By coming with us, you'll save the flock from pain. Isn't that what you want?" Carlisle's eyes darted quickly to Edward.

I closed my eyes. A dozen—no, a _thousand _thoughts rushed into my brain. Memories with everyone burst into my mind. I imagined Iggy and Gazzy running like hell was behind them as I tracked them down for stealing my underwear… Nudge smiling as she picked off three hot dogs, shoving them in her mouth…Angel, glancing at me mysteriously as she traced the flock on the dirt…and Fang, looking at me with those beautiful eyes, wrapping his arms around me, those firm, soft lips under mind…

I opened my eyes again. Desperate times come for desperate measures. I actually wouldn't have been surprised if Fang really _didn't _love me. I mean, look at him! He's strong, beautiful, fierce…and then, look at _me. _I haven't combed my hair since the apocalypse, my jeans are ripped and frayed, and my face was always streaked with dirt.

And the flock…I would never, _ever, _hurt them. I would kill myself before I laid a finger on those kids.

My decision was made.

"When are we leaving?"

Fang's POV

It took me about ten seconds to realize what was happening. It took me _another _ten seconds to realize how stupid I've been. Why in hell did I trust those people? That's what Jeb always told us, _never _let down your guard, _never trust anybody. _

Well, I guess I failed that test.

Shouting a stream of profanities, I jumped in the air, beating my wings powerfully as I turned west-northwest toward the Cullen's place. I would die before they took Max away. I would go with them instead, if they wanted.

But then again, I wasn't the transformed vampire here.

Didn't that deadbeat, snot-nosed freak realize how freaking _important _she was to everyone. She was, like, a mother. To everyone. A sister to Iggy… and everything to me.

God, I'm so gosh-darned _stupid! _

By the time I reached the house, I was feeling sort of empty. At first I didn't know why. But I noticed I felt the _exact _same way as I felt when Max died. As if something was missing.

I skidded to a halt, gravel and rocks flying up everywhere, and I didn't pause. I ran up the steps, kicked open the door, and ran around, searching every cupboard, every room.

I don't know when it began to dawn on me that she wasn't there. Maybe when I saw that the cars were gone. Maybe when I didn't hear a breath as I scanned every freaking room at that house.

Or maybe when I realized that emptiness inside me meant that she was gone.

"Max!" I yelled, darting my eyes as I whirled around in every direction. "MAX!" No answer.

"Max, Max, Max," I muttered, kicking off from the ground again. "Come on."

I flew high up, like, higher than a seven-forty-seven, so high that I could hardly breathe. I scanned the ground, searching right below me, glancing far off.

I didn't see their cars, I didn't see them.

I didn't see Max.

I gotta find the flock. We had to get her back. But, at the same time, I knew I wouldn't ever see her again. They were trackers. I knew it as soon as I saw them. They knew how to hunt. So therefore, they knew how to run.

"MAX!"

Iggy's POV

I ran as fast as I could. I couldn't take off because:

1. I didn't know where in heck I was. I could've taken off into a tree. Again.

2. Bella weighed a lot. Like, one-hundred-and–thirty-pounds a lot. I only weighed ninety. We weren't going anywhere.

3. I didn't know how far we would go before they would use they're werewolf strength to jump up and pick us off alive, like in that movie with that one guy. That guy…Hewey Jackson? And that friar guy. And that Dracula guy. And the ugly werewolf…

"Come on, guys, keep up!" I yelled behind me.

And then I heard a growl. The pounding of paws fell in step behind me. Dang it.

"Left!" Nudge yelled. I ran immediately to the left, and heard the sickening thud of rock-hard muscles against trees. Ha ha. The stupid guy had ran into a tree. Jerk.

I heard more pounding, from a lot of werewolves, and before I knew it, I was flying in the air, and skidded into the ground. Bella must _not _be having fun.

"Get off me," I said, punching into open air, and landing a fist into a rock-hard pound of flesh. The growl grew louder. I felt claws slash against my leg.

"Iggy!" Nudge yelled.

"What, what happened?" I said as I dodged a fury of flying fists.

"Fang," was all she said.

I turned, and heard the whoosh of wings, and I knew we finally had a chance.

"Fang, took you long enough," I said as I punched out again.

And then the fighting stopped. I didn't hear anything but tense silence.

"Iggy, take Bella back to her father," he said impassively. "And after that, you have to go find Max. She's gone," There, I heard the tiniest break in his voice. "They took her away."

"What? Who to what away?" A werewolf growled.

"The Cullens," Fang said. "They took Max away."

"So they're gone?" The deep voice asked.

"Yes,"

"Woo-hoo!" One whooped, and then they all started cheering. Cheering that the vamps were gone. Cheering that the Cullens disappeared.

Cheering that Max was nowhere to be found.

"Iggy," Fang whispered, "Go. I'll hold them off. Find Max."

And throughout all that cheering, I took off, leaving Fang to fend against himself against deranged werewolves.

I heard a punch, a husky yell, and the battle begun. Growls erupted from the forest so loud I thought people in Rhode Island could hear them.

I hoped Fang would come out of this alive.

But then again, by the way of his voice, maybe he hoped for something differently.

**Who will win? Fang by himself, a very angry, angsty Fang, or a pack of deranged werewolves…only you can decide.**

**175 reviews, and then I'll give you the best chapter you've ever seen.**

**175, and I'll update.**

**Here we go,**

**-Pegasus**


	18. Chapter 18

**No prologue. Just go. (thanks to Madeline (did I spell that right?) for giving me those extra five reviews. Everyone give her cookies!!!))**

Fang's POV

Using my intense super-human reflexes, I cocked my arm back, and hurled it at the nearest guy's face in about half a second. He stumbled back, looking suprised, and then his face was morphed with fury.

I noticed my eyes were red. Like I was _seeing _red. I was mad. I was freaking out about Max. This is what happens when _people go insane, _people. Not a good thing.

One of the tan dudes was shaking. Shaking so hard he literally trembled. The guy I punched. Man, I must of hit him really hard. While the pups were distracted, I counted. There were about three here. "Calm down, Paul." The largest put a hand on the trembling dude's shoulder.

Paul shook his head, trying to relax, and I expected after a minute, his muscles would loosen up.

I didn't give him that chance.

Quicker than they could see, I spun and let loose a strong roundhouse kick to the kidney. Paul howled, and then he exploded.

I mean, he blew up. I didn't know what in heck happened. At first I thought he swallowed, like, a hand grenade or something. In an instant, he went from a trembling maniac to an exploding man. His skin was stretching so fast it was ripped from his body, and his clothes were filthy pieces on the dirt floor. Then I realized what was happening.

He transformed.

Into what, I found out on about a milli-second. From a man, to a wolf the size of a car. No, the size of a _house._ I stared in shock. This wasn't an eraser. Not even close. Itwas like that...werewolf in that movie with Hugh Jackman. Vampires, flying avian bird kids...werewolves.

Can my life get any weirder? Evidence shows that is probably a _yes. _

I looked out. It was a new moon. Great. Then what the hell _were _they?

Surprisingly, I kept my ground, and hurled my fist to the biggest one there, He blocked, but he wasn't prepared for the quick scissor-kick that followed. Landing it right on his neck, I expected him to go down.

What I really did was make the guy mad. And soon, in the midst of all the ripped clothing, _he _a wolf as well.

Then the chain reaction started. Soon, the other transformed as well, exploding out of clothing to reveal a huge, seriously muscled wolf glaring at me with intelligent eyes.

Then I attacked.

Extending my wings, I threw myself at them, landing on the smallest one's—Paul's—face. Landing my foot in its snout, and I punched him in the eye as I pulled at his ears for balance.

He growled, and suddenly I was on my back, and felt the stinging of claw marks on the side of my face.

Rebounding up in a flash, I released a quick side kick to his knees, and took off running.

_Come after me, come after me, _I coaxed. No I was _literally _seeing red. The blood didn't help my vision, let me tell you.

Jumping in the air, I extended my wings and brought them down hard. I turned, and came face to face with a slobbering crazed wolf. Right in front of me, he stopped. I stopped. Come on, come on.

Then he charged. I waited, tensing my muscles. He was running, running as fast as the vampires. But I was faster.

Yelling, I jumped up in the air as high as I could, extending my wings. The wolf didn't have time to stop, the jerk. He continued to run, and in a split second, he full-out rammed into a humongous oak, hitting it so hard I heard the distinct _crack _of broken bones. He paused for a second, and let out a long whimper.

Red still tinted my vision, and every punch I threw, I thought of Max. That jerk Edward. I imaged his face on those wolves, and each time I hit one, I pictured Edward's face crying and moaning like a baby.

It was fun.

I punched the largest one in the eye, following with a left roundhouse kick to the back of the ear. The wolf roared. I think I popped his eardrum.

He took a swipe at my chest. I backed off, but the claws ripped through my shirt, and ripped though my skin.

I staggered, but I blocked out the pain. The blood trickled through my shirt onto the floor. "You ripped my shirt, you idiot!" And with that, I jumped up, scissor-kicking his neck, followed by a quick double-fisted punch to his eyes. He growled, and his ears flattened on his head.

"Come and get me, dog," I said.

He stayed where he was. The one I just flattened to dust still didn't move. The smaller one was off to the side, probably sneaking up on me. He pounced…

And I jumped for all it was worth, kicking off his fat head and extending my wings. And before he knew what was happening, I shot down toward the ground with my feet held out in front of me, and when we collided I rammed him in the dirt. More audible cracks were heard.

Stepping off the wolf lightly, I turned to face the largest one.

Then before I could react, before I could move, he ran at me, leaning with his right shoulder, and with it, the wolf rammed me against a tree

A ton of corded muscles pinned me to the tree, and I yelled as I heard one, two, three ribs break. Spots began to black out my vision.

He released me, running back to where he came from and spun around again, facing me warily. I staggered, and leaned against a tree. I felt blood running from my chest down to my leg. It was difficult to breathe.

My chest heaving, hurting every time it moved. I snapped open my wings, and jumped in the air, I brought them down hard. Up and down, up and down until I could get high enough to see the damage—

With a great shudder, the wolf pushed off from the ground to, and through my red eyes, I saw him flying toward me, its claws outstretched…

He was coming right at me. I mean, can werewolves even _jump? _Can they freaking fly too? What the hell am I missing here?

I had to think fast. Looking at the ground, I instantly dived, leaving the wolf to come hurtling down to earth. "Ha, ha," I said, then, turning around, I flew at one hundred and thirty miles at that wolf, with my arms extended, I heaved with all my might in midair.

The effect was instant.

The werewolf's eyes widened in surprise, and before he could fight against me, he was launched toward the ground at over two hundred miles an hour thanks to the wonderful force we all call gravity. A nice lesson for all of you braniacs out there.

When he landed I watched coldly as I saw him tremble. He broke bones alright. The cracking went for almost half a minute. Every time that ton of flesh tried to get up, something broke.

I landed. Three against one. Them: 0. Me: Three. I'm a beast, man.

I stepped on that werewolf's shoulder and hissed in his ear, "That was for Max. Don't get in my way again. Don't hurt the flock. Or I'll kill you." I stepped off his shoulder, expecting him to go haywire. He wasn't even looking at me. He was looking at something over my shoulder.

And then I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head, and I fell toward the ground, stunned. My vision became black as I looked at my broken, bloodied body.

I was hurt. Bad.

I couldn't get up. Black spotted my vision for the last time. I leaned sideways on the earth, and before I blacked out, I mumbled, "Max."

Then I was gone.

Iggy's POV

We were a few feet (or at least I _thought) _away from the house when Charlie started freaking out.

"Bella?" He called. I heard creaking of the wooden steps. Crunching of the gravelly driveway. He must be running toward me.

"Bella's been mumbling for a while before we finally found her," I told him as she was wretched from my grip. "She fainted as soon as she saw us. Something about Edward."

There was more crunching on the driveway, and I heard a door creak open. A pause. "You kids coming inside or what?" He asked.

I looked over, shrugged, and started walking toward the house.

Nudge took my hand. "Three steps," she ordered, and I climbed.

"Door two steps ahead," I took two, and then reached for the door. I gripped the handle, and jerked it open. I walked inside.

From what I could tell, the room wasn't large, but it wasn't like a closet either. I felt in front of me, and felt some sneakers. I yanked my hand back. "That's just Bella, Iggy," Gazzy said. "She's laying on the couch."

I walked around the cushions, and knelt beside Bella. Her breath hit my skin, and I cautiously felt around her face, feeling for bruises, broken bones, etc.

I felt a lump on her head. I pressed it gently. She groaned, and tried to slap my hand away. I grabbed it. "Easy, Bella. Easy." I soothed. I don't know what I was playing at really. I mean, have I ever calmed anyone down? Ever? Like, maybe my invisible best friend _The Little Mermaid _when I was, like, _five. _But, strangely, I was pretty good at it. Bella relaxed again, and I continued to check her out (not like that, you freaks).

"What the _hell _are you doing?" Charlie said frantically. He must have just come back into the room. I didn't know if he even left it or not. Hurried footsteps toward me.

"Whoa, Charlie. Just checking to make sure Bella isn't hurt. She has a bump on her head," I pointed at my temple, "but otherwise she's a-okay!" A-okay. A-freaking-okay? I must have been real desperate, and possibly really out of it to say _a-okay. _

Charlie stopped walking. "What are you, a doctor?" He mumbled. I felt pressure on the couch.

"Is she okay? I called Dr. Cullen at the hospital. He should be here any minute."

Yeah, about that…

"He's gone," Angel said. "He had to leave. The family went away." She said matter-of-factly. I closed my eyes. We shouldn't stay here. We have to go get Max.

And that's when the door burst out of its hinges from the sound of it.

That's when I heard a husky voice yell, "We need help! This kid was sabotaged by a rabid bear!" (Who could believe all that crap?)

And that's when I realized that we needed to get to a hospital, because Fang was hurt.

Badly.

Sam's POV

I stared at Jared.

"Took you long enough," I said casually before heaving myself into a standing position. How many bones can this kid break? Most people can't even bruise us.

I looked down. Blood soaked through the dirt, and I saw a bone poking out of the kid's skin. His eyes were closed, and sweat gleamed on his forehead.

"He's just a kid," I muttered, squatting down. I winced.

Paul and Jared stood around me. "Let's just leave him here." Paul said.

I looked at him. "No." He flinched as if I hit him. I sighed. Being the Alpha's cool and everything, but sometimes…it's like I _want _them to disobey me.

"I can't believe he hurt us like that!" Jared blurted out. "I mean, he barely looks fifteen. He broke three of my ribs. Jerk," he added under his breath.

I glared at him. "Honestly, I don't know why we attacked _him. _Why'd we have to attack anyone in the first place? These are people we're trying to _protect." _

"Bloodlust."

"Instinct."

"Running on our territory."

"Not giving us Bella."

"Stuff like that."

I rolled my eyes.

"And anyways," Paul said, sounding serious. "I don't think those kids are completely human."

He kicked the kid over, and I saw those dark wings. At first I thought it was an illusion. I poked one, and heard something crack. "Dang it, I just broke the kid's bone. Must've been cracked before."

"Nice."

"Great job, Sam."

I'm loving this encouragement.

"We should take him back to the council. Let 'em inspect the kid."

"No." I saw, in my peripheral vision, both of them flinching at the same time. I raged on. "They'll leave him to die. I can't let that happen."

"Stirring speech, Sam."

"Yeah, that hit me right _here," _Jared added. They both burst out laughing.

"Stop!" I yelled, and the laughing died down. I looked around, then back at the kid. He was turning blue from the loss of blood. Not good. "Let's follow those other kids, and give him to them. They'll do what they want with him, and it's finished."

"Whatever."

"You're the boss."

Idiots.

With a heave, I picked up the kid, and hoisted him over my shoulder.

"Let's go."

I don't know how long we ran. Like, five minutes. I kept close to the ground, watching the footprints trail right to…

"Chief Swan's house?" I said, surprised. "How'd they know this was Chief Swan's house? I thought they'd take her to the hospital anyway." I said, thinking of Bella.

"I don't know."

"Beats me."

"Let's get this over with," I said.

I ran up to the house, kicked open the door, and stepped inside, doing my best to sound as if I was completely freaked out. "We need help!" I said. "This kid was sabotaged by a rabid bear!"

Someone screamed. The kids started freaking out.

"Fang!" The tallest one yelled, sprinting over. He came up to me and looked at Paul. "Give him to me!" He said, jabbing a fist into Paul's bicep. Paul flexed, growling.

"Over here," I pointed out.

"Oh," he said looking embarrassed. For the first time I noticed his eyes. They were blue. Really light. Didn't look natural. I finally understood. The kid was blind.

I handed him over, and the boy took Fang (what kind of name was that?) away from me. "Oh my God," he said. "What'd you do?!" He yelled, pointing at me. I put my hands up in a wasted gesture.

"Iggy, what're we going to do?" The smallest boy sounded scared.

Chief Swan had been staring at us for the past few minutes, completely stunned. I felt bad for him.

He shook his head, and left the room. He returned with the keys to his cop car. "Take him to the hospital. I'll take Bella in the truck."

"Isn't that illegal?" Jared asked.

"No time, just go!" Charlie said.

I darted out of the house, and climbed into the front seat of the car. I put the lights and the horn on. A sharp wailing sounded.

The kids climbed in. Jared shouted, "We'll meet you there!" I nodded, as saw them both take off into the trees.

"What's wrong with Fang, Iggy?" I heard a little girl's voice quivering.

"He's dying." Iggy said brokenly. "Fang's dying."

**HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Or better yet…**

**MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA *coughs and sputters***

**Didn't expect **_**that, **_**did you?**

'**Kay, guys, 190.**

**Get to 190 and I'll update….**


	19. Chapter 19

**You guys are insane! Fifteen reviews in less than two days…I need an Advil. This is the most response I've ever gotten. Ever. So thanks to everyone.**

**Man, I feel so dang bad about missing periods, letters, and words. I mean, I'm a horrible writer. Sorry to do that to you all.**

**But, I'll edit a lot for this one. And I'll revise it, and check for spellings and stuff. So…see if this one's better.**

'**Kay, someone wanted a look in on Max, see what she's doing and all. So your wish is my command.**

**And again, Sorry, guys. I'm a terrible writer.**

**NOW ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Max's POV

Here's another thing I learned while sitting in the passenger side of Edward's car—you can't cry. I sobbed and all, due to my horror, but there weren't any tears. I was surprised, considering that every time I cried, there was _always_ some form of waterworks pouring down my eyes.

Edward glanced at me, and I saw that his eyes were red. He let go of the steering wheel, as if to reach out a consoling hand…

Then his eyes hardened, his fingers clutched the steering wheel, and that was that.

I didn't want him to touch me anyway. I banged my head against the seat a couple times. I wanted Fang. I needed him. Now… more than ever.

And he didn't even love me. Was it all a game to him? The hugs, the kisses, the words…was he _using _me?

I banged my head against the car seat again, moaning slightly. I'm such a weakling. I've softened up too much. Dang it!

"Max, don't do that to yourself," Edward snapped. "You're not weak."

I looked at him with suspicion. "What? What am I supposed to do? Be happy-go-lucky about all of this? I've taken care of them all. I taught Angel and Gazzy and Nudge and Iggy how to fly. I fed them. I changed their diapers. I _raised _them. And they don't even— he doesn't…they don't…care about—everything—kill—" I was so upset I couldn't speak. That's me. Damsel in Distress.

"I can't," I whispered.

"Can't what?"

"Can't do this. I can't _live _without them," I was startled by how true that was. And how sappy and totally out of character everything had become. "_I can't."_

"Max, you've got to move on. Stop doing this to yourself!" Now he looked angry, and his irisis turned a vibrant shade of black.

Then his eyes narrowed. "Do you feel hungry?" He asked abruptly.

"What?" I said, sniffing. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know," he said, sounding frustrated. "You haven't eaten for about a day. That's not natural. You're throat's not burning?" He glanced at me again.

"No," I said dejectedly. "Not anymore. I'm the freak, remember? Or did your puny little brain overlook that?" I stared out from the window and glanced at the sky. For the first time (since it constantly _rains _here) it was a clear blue, and there wasn't one cloud in the sky. Not one.

"I'm getting out," I decided outloud. I pushed the unlock button and reached for the door handle.

A hand reached out and gripped my shoulder. "Don't even think about it," Edward said. "You're _not _going back to Forks."

"Are you _deaf?" _I yelled, wrenching my arm from his grip. He flinched and drew his hand back. "Did I say I wanted to go back? Did _anyone _say that? I want to get out! I'll run next to you if I must." I opened the door. He sighed, and then suddenly cocked his head, as if he was listening to something. Crazy jerk. He paused for a second, and then to my intense surprise, he slowed down the car until we came to a stop.

He looked at me. "If you even _turn _back, I'll know. I need to go back and get something, so I'll find out. Don't get any stupid ideas, okay?"

"Whatever," I said finally, climbing out. The fresh air hit me like a bowling ball. I looked back toward the silver Volvo, but it was already speeding down the highway.

I turned back toward the trees, looking down at my white skin, cold and granite-like. I felt my face, my full lips, my perfect nose. My smooth cheeks. The angular bones. I was beautiful.

And I hated it.

Scrunching my eyebrows together, I glanced at the sky again. It was warm, and the blue sea above me seemed to draw me in. I wanted to go up there. I squared my shoulders. I _had _to go up there. If I didn't, I'd probably kill myself. Yet I didn't know how, since I was a freaking _rock! _I probably couldn't be even scratched if an overweight Godzilla stepped on my head. How could I fly?

I started walking along the road. I didn't hear any cars, so I felt alone. Perfect.

Then my legs moved faster, and I was gliding along. Running.

I figured that flying was my only option toward living at the moment. Fang was gone. The Flock was gone. I couldn't see Ella or my mom, unless they secretly shared an excruciatingly painful death wish once I've finally turned up.

Then my eyes locked on something in the distance. A mass expanse of rock jutting out of the land, over the dark sea. A cliff.

I pumped my legs, willing myself to go faster, and the world became a blur, like a toddler decided to stick his hands in paint and swirl it around paper to see what would happen.

That's pretty much what it looked like.

"Come on!" I yelled to no one. I was crazy. The men and white needed to pick up a lost patient. How can I do this, how can I fly without any freaking _wings?_ That's the question Hamlet needed to answer. Or Shakespeare, or whatever.

The cliff expanded out in front of me, and I found myself running along the rocks, running like the wind. I _was _the wind, not bowing down to anything, going everywhere, being flexible, movable. Weaving through the trees, slipping between the rocks. I could see everything, because _I've been everywhere_. That's what running felt like. It made me feel like I was invincible.

Which I was. All Right!

The end of the rocks drew closer, and I took deep breaths, and all I could see was the sky. That perfect, blue sky. This was my moment. This moment would tell whether I was me or not. Whether I was Maximum Ride, or a psychotic freak. Not that I wasn't a deranged freak _before, _but I hope you get the point.

Five steps. Four. Three. Two. One.

And I was in the air, my face scrunched up in concentration.

And…then I was falling.

"No!" I yelled, trying to remember the wings. My arms waved frantically. To feel how they worked. But I was still falling. I closed my eyes, breathing hard.

I imaged the muscles knotting up as I rose in the air. The rhythm of my wings, up, down. Up, down. The trees, so far below me. Feeling like I was on top of the world. Breathing in that oxygen, feeling the sun beat down on my skin. The sound of wings beating together in illusion, the only harmonious thing in the world. Up. Down.

Up.

Down.

I opened my eyes. And screamed.

_I wasn't falling. _I was going up, up toward the sun so fast I could barely see.

I looked wildly about me, searching, and there they were.

My wings. Exactly the same. Beating up and down.

Up and down.

Up and down. For the first time, I smiled.

"Woooh!!" I yelled, flying faster and faster. I laughed, finally remembering the exhilaration. It was great.

I still remembered I couldn't go back. I was Max, but not the Max they knew. I could kill them. I could hurt them.

But right now, I was where I belonged. I was _flying. _

_And it was freaking awesome_.

Iggy's POV

Nudge started crying. Angel was bawling beside Nudge, from what I heard, and Gazzy was trembling next to her. I was in the front seat, holding Fang.

He was dying. The seat was soaked with blood, and my clothes were drenched as well. I could feel his heartbeat, extremely slow.

I checked his injuries, fluttering over his wounds. I said them out loud.

"Broken collarbone," I muttered. Nudge hiccupped behind me. The car grew quiet. I opened my eyes and stared hard at where I was feeling. "Five broken ribs. Fractured sternum." I squinted, and my hands flew over his body. "Arm broken in two places," My hands trembled back toward the ribs, and I felt something hard sticking out of the skin. Fang flinched. "What is this?" I said, my voice panicky.

"Rib," Sam muttered. I heard a slap, and imagined him slapping himself.

"I'm going to kill you," I said. "What the hell did you _do?" _

"We thought you were a threat! Bella was in your hands unconscious, what the hell were we supposed to think?" He yelled. "And this kid came. He broke three of my ribs. He nearly killed Jared and Paul." He stopped abruptly, and I didn't hear him talk anymore.

I felt down toward his stomach. "These are some deep cuts. Some internal organ must have been hit." My insides burned. "You lowlife son-of-a—"

"I'm sorry, man!" Sam yelled. "We're almost there, come on, come on," he said to no one.

My hands quivered toward his wins. "Broken wing, too." My head thumped against the car seat.

"Where's Max?" Fang's voice shook over the noise, so small I could barely hear it. He groaned.

"Fang?" I yelled in his ear. "Stop talking. You're hurt bad."

"Max?" I couldn't believe how weak his voice sounded. I couldn't believe he was conscious at all, actually.

"Fang, we're taking you to the hospital. Those werewolves busted you up."

"I…I don't… think…make it," He started coughing. Blood burst from his mouth and spread over his clothes. It took a while before he continued. "I can't do it," he moaned.

"What? Can't do what?" I said frantically, desperately trying to get him to keep talking. Screw the whole stop-talking-or-you'll-die thing. I changed mottos quickly. As long as you talk, you stay alive. That's my _new _motto. Write it down.

"Running…away…Max, help…" I've actually never seen him so torn down before. He was freaking out when Max died. He'd scream, start punching things randomly. But when Max came back (as a ghost type spirit thing) we thought he was a raving lunatic. We didn't believe him at all when he said she'd come back. I was the first to think that, and I was the last to believe him.

"You're going to be okay, Fang, alright. We're almost there." To Same I yelled, "Can't you go any _faster?_"

"Take…care…flock," he groaned.

"No, Fang!" Nudge screamed. "Hang on!"

"Fang!" Angel yelled.

The Gasman whimpered.

"Find…Max…Max…" Fang's voice trailed off. His head slumped again my shoulder. His body tensed up, and then relaxed. His eyes fluttered shut.

"Fang?"

No answer.

"Fang!" I was yelling. "Fang! DON'T DIE ON ME!"

Now everyone was crying. I couldn't feel a heartbeat. He…he…

"FANG! FANG!" I yelled, shaking him. Tears dripped from my eyes. "FANG!"

"Shut up!" Sam said.

"I can't feel a heart beat. I can't feel it. He's dead. He's dead!" I screamed. "Take us to the hospital!"

"We're here!" Sam said. The car screeched to a halt, and the car door burst open. I got out on the other side. Holding Fang close, I started screaming as I ran. "HELP! HELP! GET A DOCTOR!"

The sound of sneakers squeaking against the concrete. "Oh my god…" a woman murmured.

"What happened?"

"Hiking…bear…help…" I was so scared I couldn't speak as I made something up.

We were in the hospital by now. There were screams and gasps, some "Oh my god's" traveling around the room.

Then Fang was wretched from my grip.

"FANG! FANG!" Sam pulled me back before I could follow. I struggled, but he was stronger than I was. And about a million pounds heavier. "There's nothing you can do, Iggy," he said softly.

"FANG!"

"I…I think he's dead."

Then, before I could start telling him off, someone brushed against my skin, and I stopped cold. That skin…I remembered.

Hard.

Granite-like.

Cold.

'**Kay, you know the rules. Let's go to 205 now. 205, and you'll see what Edward's up to.**

**205, and you'll see if Fang lives.**


	20. Chapter 20

Edward's POV

Max was beginning to aggravate me. I was already in a bad mood, and then she starts yelling about getting out of my car. Did she _want _a death wish?

I was about to tell her so when I suddenly felt a jolt in my mind. I could instantly tell who was trying to talk to me.

I was about to say—well,_ think _something—to her before I realized she was miles ahead of me, in the passenger seat of Jasper's car. So I waited.

_EDWARD! IT'S FANG! _I paused, feeling Max's gaze on my face. I wanted to wave her off, but I controlled myself. I continued to listen.

_HE'S DYING. HE'S DEAD. SAVE HIM! _Her gentle, musical voice rose until it became an angry screech. _STOP THE CAR! TURN BACK! STOP, STOP, STOP!_

I blinked, and I was suddenly tense.

Should I? I doubt I would be welcome once he sees the man who ruined his life and took his girl away. Not for my own purposes, but for his.

Yet, he's just a child. How could he understand that?

And Bella. Max would probably break her neck within a matter of seconds once she's in Bella's range. There would be no stopping her.

Wasn't I doing something noble?

Would I be doing something righteous by saving his life?

Well, I decided, he wouldn't die on my watch. Not on _mine. _

I looked toward Max, trying to get her to understand without actually _telling _her the love of her life was on his deathbed. "If you even _turn _back," I said, "I'll know. I need to go back and get something, so I'll find out. Don't get any stupid ideas, okay?"

She stared at me for a second, her eyes narrowed, and then her perfect lashes blinked once.

"Whatever," she said, snapping open the door. I hope she didn't break it.

My tires screeching, I put the car into drive and did a full u-turn. I headed back, back toward Forks.

I hoped I wasn't too late.

'Cause that would be _really_ upsetting.

Fang's POV

There wasn't anything. Nothing.

I didn't hear anything. Couldn't see anything. The last thing I remembered was seeing Iggy's tear-streaked face. Why? Why the _heck _was _he _crying for?

Was _he _the kid with a rib sticking out of his body? No.

Was _he _the kid who had to live through Max dying twice and practically going insane by it? No. Well, technically he did, too, but that not relevant to my moping lament here.

Lastly, was _he—_Iggy—the guy _who was about to die?_

Wait for it…it's coming, I promise you…no.

But, I actually didn't feel that bad about dying, you know?I haven't thought about it before, but, other than the flock, and Max, who was AWOL at the moment, there was nothing, _nothing, _that kept me here on this god-danged earth.

I mean, what was here? Pain, hunger, poverty, sadness. Was there anything worth living for?

God, of course, wouldn't appreciate my act of surrender, but it wasn't like I could call him to get that heart-to-heart I've always wanted from my parents. I didn't have parents. So, to be honest, I wasn't all that fussed about that.

Man, I felt almost _happy _about all of this. I mean, I was done. Going up that stairway to heaven, baby. Up to those pearly white, gleaming—

"Fang," someone called. "Wake up."

I was jerked back to consciousness by the sound of my name. Max?

I opened my eyes a crack, and groaned. See, the thing about being awake is that you could feel everything all at once. The broken bones. Those parallel cuts across my skin. Feeling Death knock very painfully on your door. All that great stuff that made you feel all fuzzy inside once you've woken up in the morning.

I heard the distant _beep, beep _of the heart monitor. My heart was slow. Very slow.

I opened my eyes some more, and realized that I wasn't dead. Yet. Dang it!

I turned my head, ready to tell off the person who was going to save me, when my eyes locked.

Well, what'd you know. The leech from hell returns.

"Fang, you're dying," Edward said, coming close to my face.

Yeah, no kidding, Einstein.

"You have an hour left Fang. The doctors stopped the bleeding for a while, but it's only a matter of time before your heart gives out. Your surgery's in an hour and fifteen minutes. By then it'll be too late. You'll die.

"But I can save you," he whispered.

Do I really want to be saved?

"I can inject venom into your system—vampire bane—and within three days, you'll be one of us."

Who the _hell _would want to be like him? Bigfoot? Or maybe perhaps a cannibal on crack would be interested.

"You'll be able to see Max again."

With a heart-wrenching effort (I just love saying that word), I opened my eyes all the way, and turned my face toward him again. The monitor beeps became almost still. Maybe a bleep every four seconds.

I tried talking, but, since I was almost _dead, _my body didn't seem to be cooperating.

So, staring hard at him, I opened my mind, letting down the hard brick walls that kept all my thoughts in one piece. I projected one out to him.

_You're lying, you bitc—_

"I'm not lying," he said, backing up a space. He must be intimidated by my far out gorgeous good looks. Ha ha. Ha…my last joke before death. What a crummy try. "If you become—like us—then you and Max would be completely safe being with each other. She's very strong," he thought, almost to himself. "She has control unlike anything I've ever seen…" he glanced at me again. "I'd imagine you'd have the same basic powers. You'd be fine."

I continued to shoot daggers at him with my eyes as I thought out my next question.

For the first time, Edward looked uncertain. "I'm…not sure. If you could control her," he gestured to me, "and yourself, obviously, there's a very good chance she and you could continue to watch over them. Yet, you saw how Max reacted to the smell of your blood. It drove out her love for you and the flock, replacing it with pure animal instinct. That's how all newborns turn out." He thought for a minute, and pain flashed across his face. "I—I could stay until you've adjusted. I won't interact," he assured me, "I'll just…watch over you until you've overcome your desire to gouge out the eyes of anything that moves. You'll have to learn to hunt animals," he said, nodding to himself. I was clueless. "Yes, I think this could work out. Sam wouldn't be thrilled to work with me, but Forks and the reservation would be safer if he agreed…

"It's your choice, Fang. I wouldn't object, but I'm trying to make things right. I don't want to be a killer." A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. "Yet, by transforming _you,_" here he glanced at me again, "You'd be worse than dead." Here he narrowed his perfect eyebrows, the narcissist. "Yet it's the best I a can do. What will you decide?"

He glanced at the heart monitor, hearing the now painfully slow erratic heartbeat.

My vision began to black out, like black stars decided to pop up in the hospital room or something. The bandages felt wet.

I didn't have any time left.

I looked at Edward, a painfully hard glare I gave him, thinking of what I wanted. No. What had to happen is _not _what I wanted. If I had what I wanted, the world would be a beautiful place. The flock, me, and Max would be chilling out on some deserted island. No flyboys. No erasers. No evil scientists ready to dissect someone's vital organs for an experiment. Not anything but what I wanted.

Apparently, God doesn't like me.

Edward looked at me, and my wish became clear in his mind as he stared at my face. His face grim, he walked forward, baring those white teeth in a determined snarl…

And the last thing I heard before my head fell against the pillow was the never ending _beeeep _of the heart monitor. Thankfully my heart stopped.

My eyes drifted shut, and my fingers uncurled. Everything became black. I couldn't breathe. Nothing. I gasped for air.

I couldn't breathe…

I feel… I felt…

Calm…Peace…

I didn't…

I…

Max…

….

…

..

.

**Kay, guys, let's go for… 233 reviews for the next update.**

**Hey, have you guys heard that Catherine Hardwicke (jerk) wants Kristen Steward and Rob Pattinson to star in Maximum Ride? **

**I would probably kill myself.**

**Let me know what you think. I'm curious about what everyone thinks on this idea.**

**Remember, 233 reviews.**

**And I'll update on Iggy, the pack, and possibly, Max. Or FANG!!!!! MWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!**

**Oh, and if this is confusing, then read DEAD, then if you have any specific questions that are probing your mind, let me know so I can tell you. It all depends.**

**233. Thanks Maddie Cullen. Just saying.**


	21. Chapter 21

Iggy's POV

"He's here!" I yelled. To whom, I had no idea, but Sam was the one who answered while my family was screaming their heads off around me. I could almost feel the severed body parts rolling off their necks and bouncing on the ground. Disgusting.

"What? Who's here?" Sam sounded like he actually cared what I had to say. What a nice change from the usual I'll-look-at-you-and-then-I'll-kill-you type of thing. I kind of liked it.

"Edward," I gasped, panting for air. "He's going to do something. He's going to kill him!"

"Who?"

"Fang, you dog! FANG!" I started going berserk again, and I slipped from Sam's grasp and I ran toward the door.

I heard footsteps behind me. "I'm coming with you," Sam panted beside me. I nodded.

"Iggy!"

"Nudge, come on!" I yelled. "Fang's in trouble!"

"Come on, guys," Nudge called, and we soon became a hybrid angry mob heading toward the door.

God knows there had to be more players in this game.

"Sam!"

"Jared!"

"Right here, man."

"I'm here too, jerk," someone breathed next to my ear.

Personal space, dude. Everyone's popping that three-foot hyper-active bubble around me. Sheesh.

"Paul, Jared, Edward's here." Sam cut to the chase quickly.

My hearing was blocked out by growling.

"Who does that guy think he is?" Paul said. The air shimmered around me. "What's he doing?"

"He's in there. I don't know why, but I think he's going to kill Fang. Though I don't see why, since he's already..." Here he stopped talking, and said, "Uh, since the _doctors _are watching over him. He's probably already in the operating room."

Nothing. I imagined blank stares. "You know," Sam said, searching for the right words. "The one we, uh, _met in the forest? _Edward's up to something, and I think it has to do with him._" _

"The kid?" Jared said, confused. "Why?"

"Beats me. That's what we're trying to find out."

We raced throughout the hospital. Either these people were ignorant or just plain stupid, but every time we asked where Fang was, we received different—and sometimes very colorful—answers.

"Yeah, what you want to do is talk to someone who actually cares."

"Well, that's apparently, like, not you," I muttered.

"Do I look like I would know? What the hell's the matter with you?!"

"Your face." I commented.

"But your blind!"

"Anyone can see a face as ugly as yours." I said realistically.

"What kind of name is _Fang, _a tooth disease?"

"Only for you, buddy." I was getting tired of this.

"Do you work out? 'Cause your biceps are the size of, like, a chimney or something!"

"Or the size of Godzilla's big toe." I was getting _really _sick of this by now.

"I _love _you. I _love _you sooo much!"

"Oh jeez!"

"Are you blind? That's retarded!"

I was ready to strangle that kid.

Finally, a real nice lady led us to the right spot. Room 597 on the fifth floor. And we were running again.

"Where are the stairs?" I asked, huffing. "Do you see them?"

"_Stairs?" _Sam asked incredulously. "The elevator's right here!"

See, you may not know this about me, but I can't deal with elevators. They remind me of being trapped in a box. I'm not claustrophobic or anything, but if there's an elevator around, and I'm _in _it, then I either cry like a baby for my crazy mom or become something like an axe murderer.

_Not _fun.

But, I didn't want to tell anyone about my, uh, _problem_, so I made something up. "Yeah, what if the power goes out, dog? Then we'd be stuck there listening to _Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head _until we grow old and die. Or worse," I shuddered. "Gazzy singing the constipation song!"

I imaged Gazzy grinning wickedly. I felt I needed to spare the poor werewolves from the torture. Apparently Sam was thinking the same thing.

"Fine! We'll take the dang stairs. Jeez."

We barged through the door, our footsteps echoed around us as we climbed.

"Five steps then a hard right!" Nudge yelled.

"Six steps and a right!" Gazzy said after her.

"Two steps until the door!" Angel shrieked.

My eyes are awesome. To bad I couldn't see.

We burst out into the hallway, and Sam shouted, "Left!" I staggered, then charged in the right direction. Ha ha. Get it. Turn _left, _and then go to the _right _direction…never mind.

"This is it!" Sam yelled. "Turn left…_now!" _I swiveled, and we all charged in the room. Three werewolves, one mind reader, a blind kid, a black girl, who are all three genetically advanced mutant avian hybrids…

And the Gasman.

I slammed into Sam's muscular back, and the bump of my head officially grew to the size of Alaska.

I didn't say anything.

"What the…" Sam said, sounding stunned. "You did it, leech. You actually—"

"I know what I did!" A voice snapped. Edward. "It wasn't like I had much of a choice. He was dead!"

"What?!" I yelled. "You…you turned him into a vampire?" My voice grew unnaturally soft.

"Yes."

I slid to the floor, holding my head. I couldn't deal with this. I had to take care of the kids. By myself. He was—he was a--he was...

"I put morphine into his system," Edward said, his voice layered with deadly serenity. "He won't feel a thing. Well, that's what my father thinks, anyway. But enough of this. That's not important right now."

"Are you _serious," _I shouted out. Was this guy insane or something?

That would be a _yes, _to all you Edward Fans out there. The men in white needed to pick up a patient. Like, right now.

"And I need your help, Sam."

"What!? You need… you can't be serious—you broke the contract!" Sam yelled, and I heard steps. I think he was stepping toward Edward with an angry vibe. Not a good thing. "We made a deal. Don't bite the humans, stay off our land, and we won't have to kill you."

Thunder boomed from outside, and the rain beat against the window. This was _kind _of scary.

"Yes, I know the contract," Edward said impatiently. "I was there when it was agreed upon, mongrel. But the rules don't seem to apply in this case."

Sam didn't say anything. I imagined his face taking on the lovely image compared to something I like to call, "a fish out of water." Jared spoke up. "What the hell do you mean, the rules don't apply? How could they not?" He sounded bewildered. And, suprisingly, scared.

"See, the contract clearly states _a human, _as in, fully blooded, one hundred percent pure, cannot be bitten by any of us. We all understoond and have agreed to it for almost one hundred years. See, Fang," Here he paused, "Is a hybrid. Ninety-eight percent human, _two _percent bird. The contract doesn't apply. He's out of it."

Stunned silence.

"Is he okay, Edward?" Angel cried, shattering the moment. "What's going to happen to Fang? First Max, now him…w-will he remember us?"

For the first time, Angel sounded like an actual six-year-old. Scared, lonely, confused. I wasn't used to it. And her tone chilled me to the freaking bones, man.

When Edward spoke again, his voice was kind. "Yes. I'll stay until he remembers. I'll train him to eat animals, and hopefully he won't have to be killed. I was hoping me and Sam would help him."

"Wh-_what?" _Sam sputtered. "Help you?"

"Yes!" Edward snapped. "Get it through your think skull, Sam! You and I need to keep Fang in check. Explain to him the rules, teach him to hunt animals, all of the necessary things. Keep him off your land. We need to control him so he doesn't attack anyone. You won't want to see a newborn vampire sabotaging the reservation, now would you?"

For a moment, Sam was silent. Then he said, "Fine. I'll do it."

More steps. I heard a noise that sounded like a finger jabbing angrily into granite skin."But if he hunts on our land. If he kills Jacob, Leah, Seth, Quil, Embry, or anyone, _anyone, _on the reservation…

"You'll be dead once I rip every limb off that fourteen year old kid who's laying right next to you."

**Oooooooh! Sam has a temper. He's going to kill Fang. Again. That is, if he killls anyone. Will Fang see Max again. What about the Volturi?**

**If I get 260, we'll see what **_**the **_**Volturi thinks about all of this. Max's point of view, Edward's, all that jazz. Edward's...****HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-ah-ch-ow *coughs hysterically*a-ha…not cool.**

**Ha.**

**Oh, by the way, someone asked before about my name. How did I get Pegasus. Well, I **_**love **_**mythology, as this someone probably figured out (Percy Jackson. Read it. By it. LOOOVVE it!) And anyways, there's this thing me and this kid named Shannon thought of at our school. It's stupid, and random, and it got stuck in my head. Hence, the name Pegasus6644.**

**What is this stupid, deranged, totally retarded unfunny thing that made us laughing until we busted our guts?**

**Pegasus the Unicorn.**

**Retarded, right?**

**Okay, remember: 260, and I'll publish. And _maybe, _if the reviews are awesome enough (which they are) Edward will go somewhere he promised never to go. _Ever. _Figure out what that place is, and get the review.**

**260.**

**Here we go,**

**-Pegasus**


	22. Chapter 22

Max's POV

I floated up there for a long time, feeling the wind caress my cool skin, the hot sun beat against my back. I looked down, and smiled as I sparkled two thousand feet up. I was like my own personal sun. I got to admit—kind of freaky.

For a second, I felt like a dude from the sixties, because I felt kind of out of my body. _Yo man, peace for the world. _But, hey, that's how I felt. Of course, if there _was _peace in the world, I wouldn't be here. I'd be on a nice beach somewhere, having the time of my life.

I glided for a second, using the wind currents and extending my wings, when I suddenly realized—It can't get anymore peaceful than this. I couldn't hear anything. The wind whipped around my hair, and every muscle in my body was relaxed—there weren't any annoying erasers screaming—

"FANG!"

Okay, enough relaxing. This is _my _life, right?

I whirled around, completely frantic, looking for that voice in the distance. The voice was small, and I thought I remembered it from somewhere…where was it? Where was it? My god, was I going insane?

Well, I drifted around there for about a minute, and I was about to conclude that I was totally off my rocker when I heard a different, boyish voice screaming.

"FANG! FANG! _DON'T DIE ON ME!" _

Wh-what? I couldn't feel anything anymore. Now, it was real. I felt like I was in a different place. But there was no laughing in the backround, no thoughts that proclaimed _this is some stupid joke. _I couldn't function. Did I just hear what I thought? Was he...he was…my mind became completely filled with images of Fang, and I started to panic when I noticed something about those images. I couldn't remember what he looked like. I couldn't. His wings were a grey blur, his face was blank. There was nothing.

That was when I realized that I was falling. I whipped around, extending my wings again, but I must have been falling for, like, forever without realizing it ( I must have been mad not to feel anything, for God's Sake), because I ended up crashing.

Where? Where would I crash?

In the ocean, of course!

I expected myself to end up getting killed, but, when I finally hit the water, I didn't feel a thing. I sank down into the murky depths, and I looked around, trying to figure out where the heck I was supposed to go.

I finally broke the surface, and my hair was plastered to my face. I spit out some ocean water, and swam toward shore.

I was there in about thirty seconds, though I was about two miles from shore. I mean, come on! Was I fast or was I fast?

And you would be right.

I staggered out the ocean, my skin sopping wet, looking around frantically. Where was Fang. _Where was he? _

Clouds suddenly filled the sky, and the glittering skin dulled down to a pale white.

"Hello?"

My head whipped around, and I crouched instinctively, a growl escaping my lips before I realized who I was attacking. And then my snarl was cut short. I stood straight up.

The boy had a confused look on his face, and he immediately took a step back, his eyes gazing at my own with intensity. He was about fifteen, in baggy trunks without a shirt, and I realized he had a little muscle on him. He had long, black hair, and his eyes were fathomless.

"Fang?" I stuttered.

His face looked more confused than ever. "Who?"

"Who are you?" I asked. "Where am I?"

He smiled, and then I remembered. Fang _never _smiled. Then who was this guy?

"My name's Jacob," he said, walking over and extending his hand toward my own. "Jacob Black."

I eyed his hand warily, and I didn't shake his hand.

Seeing my tense face, he swung his hand up and down, as if trying to cover up.

"You're on the reservation. La Push," he said, gesturing toward the ocean. His gaze found me again. "Who are _you? _I've never seen you before."

"Uh…Max. I'm visiting relatives."

"The Cullens?"

"What?"

"Oh, sorry, I thought you looked like them, you know, with the circles under the eyes and the same skin tone and stuff..."he swallowed. "You're very beautiful."

The scene became very awkward. "Oh, uh…thanks," I mumbled. And suddenly, I pictured Fang, without a face or body, yet somehow I _knew _it was him. He was laying on a hospital bed, and the heart moniter let out a feeble _beep _about once every six seconds. And beside him, right beside him, was Edward Cullen himself, whispering, "_Fang…Fang…"_

I was jerked back into the present, blinking and looking around. I was on a beach, I realized. Talking to Jacob. Right. I figured out why I was here. "Where's the hospital?" I asked quickly.

His eyes narrowed. "Are you hurt or something? Do you need a ride?" He reached into his pants. "I think I have a phone…"

"Just tell me where it is!" I snarled. His eyes widened, and he raised his hands, with the palms toward me in a _Whoa Nelly _gesture.

"Take it easy, there, Max. The hospital's over that way," he pointed off into the trees. "I'll give you a ride," he said, jogging toward the road, where a beat up jalopy rested. He looked back. "You're coming?"

"No, I've got to go," I said.

"Come on, you can't just walk there!"

I was about to shout, _Yes, I bloody well can, _when I figured that running off into the trees at the speed of light, _might _give this kid a heart-attack.

"Fine!" I yelled, stalking toward the car.

He nodded, opened the door, and climbed in on the other side.

The car had a disgusting smell, almost sickly sweet, but I clamped my mouth shut before I could tell him about it.

"It's only a couple minutes away," he pointed out, putting the car quickly in _drive. _"Everything's going to be fine." He was actually trying to make me feel better. How nice.

Too bad I was used to people being _nice _like that, then taking advantage of me, and in the end, trying to freaking _kill _me.

The speedometer thing went up to about sixty. Too slow. "Can't this thing go faster?" I yelled, banging on the door.

"Whoa, there, Max. Take an easy," he cajoled. Then he said, "Oh, dang it! I can't believe I couldn't see that dent before. That'll cost three hundred dollars!" He pushed on the horn in frustration.

I looked guiltily where I hit the car, looking at the dents were my fingers hit. I could make out every ridge of my hands.

He stomped on the gas, and the tiny pointer swerved to eighty…ninety…one hundred miles per hour.

And then, the most pathetic excuse for a hospital loomed into view. There were many doors, and many windows. The building was extremely small.

"'Kay, we're here," he said, but he didn't have time to talk to me because I was already running toward the hospital.

I burst into the room, and caught many stares from the men. They gazed at me hungrily, and their eyes widened.

"How can I help _you?" _one leered at me, showing his broken teeth. I think his words had a double meaning.

"Where's Fang?" I said, ignoring him. Pushing him out of the way (he crashed into the wall, leaving a nice dent in the plaster, the retard), I walked around like a maniac. "Where is he?" I turned toward the receptionist.

Then I smelled something. It wasn't really something I could make out. The smell was…soft and silent. Dark, mysterious. Beautiful. I didn't understand how I could smell…_emotions _and _traits. _I am one weird avian hybrid vampire.

Ha ha. As if I can get any more messed up. What will be next...Maximum Ride, the avian hybrid/ vampire/aquatic _fish? _

And I started running again.

I flew up the stairs (well, not literally, there wasn't enough room for it), and I could hear Jacob asking the receptionist where "a pretty girl with brown hair and dark circles under her eyes" went. I promised myself to kill the kid when everything was over and done with.

The smell became stronger, almost intoxicating, and I darted out of the stairwell at level five. I dashed toward the left and nearly knocked a doctor off of his feet.

I strained my ears. I heard the rain beginning to pound on the roof. Heard death wishes and some goodbyes. Then I heard a husky voice saying, "I'll do it."

My eyes narrowed as I concentrated. The husky voice continued. "But if he hunts on our land. If he kills Jacob, Leah, Seth, Quil, Embry, or anyone, _anyone, _on the reservation…" Wait a minute, he didn't mean _Jacob Black, _did he?

"I'll kill you once I rip every limb off that fourteen year old kid who's lying right next to you."

Oh my God. Fang. _He was going to kill him. _

"FANG!"

Third Person POV

No one noticed, though all of the noises, a nurse with murky brown eyes slip past the doctors and follow the girl up the stairwell. Her footsteps were silent, and her childlike, beautiful features went unnoticed by the equally pretty young woman ahead of her. Or anyone else, for that matter.

The girl knew whom she was following. Max, she thought. At least, that's what the werewolf said. Well, he wasn't a werewolf yet, but the young-looking vampire could smell his sickly stench from a mile away. His time was close, she thought. Closer than anyone realized.

The girl seemed to be floating after the distraught Max, and with a casual glare, many patients began screaming.

"Help!"

"_I'm on fire!" _

"OH MY GOD, JUST KILL ME!"

She smiled, and restrained. The screams faded.

Max was extremely special. The vampire could already tell that Max would be very, _very _reliable to the Volturi. Her looks were more beautiful than even Heidi. Her strength, hearing, eyesight, and smell were keener than any other vampire to date. And her _wings…_

At first, the young vampire was surprised when she saw the vampire flying higher than a seven-forty-seven, but that emotion instantly turned to greed. The Volturi needed this girl.

And who knows what powers she had that were unknown to even Max herself? Something grand, no doubt.

Max charged down the hallway, and dodged into a room. The vampire did not follow her. Keeping an eye on the door, she whipped out a cell phone, and dialed a number.

"Felix?" Jane hissed. "Bring all of the guard." She eyed the room Max darted into seconds ago. There were wails and screams such as, "FANG!" AND "I'M GOING TO RIP OFF YOUR DIRTY LITTLE FACE!" and repulsive nonsense like that. Jane's smile widened. "Bring everyone. I've just spotted the catch of the day."

**Oohh, this is good. Next, we'll have a look at Max's reaction to everything, and after all that, Edward will take them somewhere he promised himself never to go...**

**Remember guys, 275.**

**The big 275.**

**Here we go-**

**-Pegasus**


	23. Chapter 23

**Thanks for all of the reviews, guys. Finally made it to the big 175! Yay! Hazza! You guys rock!**

**NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Edward's POV

Another complication.

I thought everything was carefully laid out. That there was _no way _that anything could go wrong. Max was safely out of place, and Fang was well on his way to a three day speedy recovery. Which is more like two days, but I think I'm being quite clear.

Sam—I can't believe I'm actually saying this—has agreed to help me watch over Max and Fang, but if things go out of hand, it'll be _him _that'll be collected in a plastic bag. Not Fang. Then he could do whatever he wanted with me. I honestly couldn't care less. But then again, wouldn't that be hard if you're already ripped to shreds? Hmm.

But, apparently, God has something else in mind for me. Punishment, maybe. Punishment for being who I am. Punishment for existing.

Because, while things were going just so damn well, Max comes barging in with looks that would kill.

And who was to be right behind her than none other than Jacob Black?

Of course.

"FANG!" Max yelled. Her eyes darted around, and Sam made the mistake in saying throughout the stunned silence of the flock, Jared, and Paul, "So who the heck are you? She's Max?" He looked at me, and I nodded curtly, bracing myself. I flexed my tendons, ready to grab her if necessary.

Max's head whipped around, and her eyes locked on Fang. "You—" She started to accuse, and then, still tensed, her eyes grew slightly blank. Her body was alert, yet her mind was almost dysfunctional. I pushed myself in there, and closed my eyes.

I was witnessing something that only Alice has ever done. I found myself looking in upon a scene that occurred two seconds ago. Exactly the same thing. The blinks, the hand motions. _Everything._

"_Is he okay, Edward?" Angel cried, tugging on my shirt. "What's going to happen to Fang? First Max, now him…w-will he remember us?"_

_I spoke again, softened. "Yes. I'll stay until he remembers. I'll train him to eat animals, and hopefully he won't have to be killed. I was hoping me and Sam would help him."_

"_Wh-what?" Sam sputtered. "Help you?"_

"_Yes! Get it through your think skull, Sam! You and I need to keep Fang in check. Explain to him the rules, teach him to hunt animals, all of the necessary things. Keep him off your land. We need to control him so he doesn't attack anyone. You won't want to see a newborn vampire sabotaging the reservation, now would you?"_

_For a moment, Sam was silent. Then he said, "Fine. I'll do it."_

_Sam stalked up next to me and jabbed a finger angrily into my granite skin."But if he hunts on our land. If he kills Jacob, Leah, Seth, Quil, Embry, or anyone,_ anyone_, on the reservation…_

"_I'll kill you once I rip every limb off that fourteen year old kid who's lying right next to you."_

Suddenly, there was a hard, steel wall barred in front of me, and I found myself standing, shocked, next to Max, who was shaking as she stared into Sam's eyes. He was paralyzed.

"You were going to kill him," she said evenly.

"You can see into the past?" I questioned. How was this possible?

"I heard you," Max monotoned beside me, completely ignoring my question.

Jacob looked from me, to Sam, to the flock. "What's going on here?" We all ignored him.

Max heaved next to me, shooting daggers out of her beautiful crimson eyes, where her gaze flickered toward Fang's sleeping figure. Her mouth opened, and though her lips were moving, there was no sound. Sam was instantly forgotten. She was completely exposed, the emotions rippling over her features.

She took a hesitant step toward him.

"No!" Iggy yelled, pushing through the werewolves. "Max!" The rest of the flock followed. Crying out her name. Crying in general.

Stock-still, Max was still staring at Fang's calm face. Now that I looked at him, I noticed that for the first time, his face was smooth, his features almost…_happy. _I was intrigued to find out about what he was thinking. Yet as I pushed into his mind, I smacked into a chrome steel wall. Nothing.

"Is…" Max seemed almost nervous. "Is he alive?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, Max."

"Sorry about what?" Her voice grew slightly caustic again.

"Well," I said, trying to find the right words. "For Fang to continue living, I had to make a hasty decision. He'll be like you."

She stared at me blankly.

"A vampire."

Her eyes widened, and she swiveled her head to look at Fang. Her eyes gazed all over his body, and I could tell she was looking for proof. She took another step forward. She was by the bed now. She knelt down, and with a quivering hand, she stroked Fang's face. Fang didn't move. "Fang?" she muttered so softly I could barely hear. And then she covered her face with her hands, trembling slightly. Now she was _crying? _But we can't cry…

Yet, to my astonishment, I saw faint trickles of water dripping from her face. Her whole body shook into heaving sobs. It seemed like Max was different from any vampire I've ever seen. I wasn't entirely sure, but I thought I'd discovered her powers, which were the gifts of seeing into the past, and being…human.

For a moment, the world was deathly silent save for the rain pattering against the windows. Then Iggy took one more step out. He knelt down, his eyes searching her face. I've never seen anything like this. Though he couldn't see, it seemed that he was _looking _at her.

"Max," he whispered softly. "It's okay."

"No it's not!" Max said, wiping her tears and looking at Iggy fiercely. "It's not…it's not…" She rambled on for a moment, and then stared at Iggy in horror. "I don't remember your name." She said softly, stifling a shriek. She looked around the room. "I don't remember your names." Her gaze rested on Angel, who was biting her trembling lip.

And for the first time it seemed this evening, Iggy laughed. He actually laughed. "Okay, then Miss Ride, let me introduce you!" He stood up, made a big, sweeping bow, and gestured to the flock to step forward as this was one big circus. We all stared at him in shock."I'm James. Formally known as Iggy. I like to make bombs and destroy stuff. I blew up your pants a year ago. Wow, that sounded messed up. Erase that from your memory. My partner in crime," he flounced toward the small blonde, "Is Gazzy. Formally known as the Gasman. This guy is lethal. In fighting combat moves and the delicate art of _passing wind." _Gazzy choked out a laugh, clutching Iggy's hand tightly.

The blind child moved on, kissing Nudge's face. Max watched intently, one hand on Fang's face, and the other to her mouth. She never blinked, and she sat as still as stone. "This," Iggy said fondly, "is Nudge. She's beautiful, she's loving. But her mouth is sometimes scary, not the way you might think, 'cause, you know, she almost talked someone to death. Me. Don't ask."

Then finally, he knelt down next to Angel, "And this," Iggy began.

"Is Angel," Max whispered, her eyes wide.

Angel, her whole form shaking, suddenly ran up and hugged Max, hard. Then the whole flock was there, patting anywhere they could reach as Max cried, holding anyone and everyone.

"And I don't care who you are, what you become, or what you do, Max," Iggy said, kneeling down to Max's eye level, holding her gaze as he looked at her through blind eyes. "We'll always, _always, _love you no matter what. And we'll always love Fang, alright? You're not giving up that fast. You remember us, and you always will, okay? Things _will _be okay, and things _will _get better. I promise."

Max nodded, wiping the tears from her face. "Sorry," she muttered, staring at the floor. "I'm such a wuss."

"If you weren't, Max," Iggy said brightly, "then that would be an extreme malfunction to your personality. 'Cause, you know, you always break down one way of another. Your wussy attitude is perfectly normal!"

"In your dreams, freak," Max taunted, yet she was smiling. "Don't make me punch your lights out."

And then the whole flock was laughing. Sam, Jared, and Paul were standing off to the side, completely uncomfortable, and the hustle and bustle of the hospital hallways was the same. I smiled. Finally, I've done something…

Wrong.

This happy moment, I have to say, couldn't last. Because, despite my IQ, I let out the most important secret of our existence. Because, I've forgotten that there was a third werewolf in the room who didn't know _anything _about vampires, or werewolves. Or any of that.

For all this time, Jacob was gawking at Fang, muttering, "Vampire? Vampire?"

Sam snapped his attention to Jacob, noticing him. "Oh jeez…" Sam said.

"Are you guys okay?" Jacob said, pointing to each and every one of us. The flock, crowded around Max, looked like their usual stony selves again. "What the hell were you talking about?"

"Nothing!" Jared said, waving his arms frantically. "Let's go." He started to walk out the door, when Sam's arm snapped in front of him.

"He has to know—" Sam started to explain, before Jacob burst out, "Those were just stupid stories! You're telling me you actually _believe _all of this?! You're crazy. You're telling me," he walked over to Fang's bedside and jabbed the boy in the arm, "This is a vampire?" He said. He started laughing, yet there was a distinct edge to the sound. "That was a good joke, guys," he said. "Really funny."

Max jumped up, snarling. "Don't touch him." She sneered. "Don't even look at him, or I'll smash that copper nose up through your eyeballs."

He looked stunned. "Max?"

"It's not a joke." Sam persisted. "We're not crazy."

"Oh yeah? Tell that to the asylum ward, Sam."

"Did you know that vampire had red eyes, Jacob?" I said quietly, breaking the ice again.

He looked at me, his expression that of surprise. "Yeah…" he said uncertainly.

"Look at Max."

"Why?"

"Just look at her. Look at her face!"

Jacob turned his head toward Max's crouching figure. "I don't see anything—" then his comment was cut short. He stared straight into her eyes, seeing the glowing red irisis. "What the—" And then he started trembling. Uncontrolled trembling, shaking his limbs from his toes up to his long black hair. He stood like that for a second, staring into Max's eyes, eyes that stared impassively back.

And then, to cap everything off, Jacob exploded.

His first transformation.

Right in the hospital.

Could my life get any more chaotic?

I think not.

**Yay! Now Max has two powers already. Being human. Seeing into the past. Because I think that in her case, and soon to be in Fang's case, she has powers that she _wants, _as well as what she gets, you know? 'Cause Max just wanted to be human. Normal. And, in a way, that's what she's getting. Though she's a vampire, she has human traits. And she'll have more powers...see if you can guess in your reviews.**

**Oh, and emily(), I'm very sorry your annoyed with me. Why am I straying fromt the plot? Put that in your review. And also, I like to number my reviews because if people didn't review, for me, that means my story isn't good enough to review. So, that's why I have a certain thing like that. Hope you understand. Sorry.**

**Okay, going for the big 192. 192.**


	24. Chapter 24

Fang's POV

Remember the time when you were five? Think back. It'll come to you. I personally don't want to remember the time when I was small and insignificant. The moments where I was bamboozled by all the crap scientists killing a small part of me every day.

But enough of that. Start thinking.

Now, remember the time when you climbed that tree in your backyard. Thinking you had wings on your back. Believing that once you leapt off the highest branch, you would soar over your house into the night. The wind creeping down your throat as you opened your mouth wide, savoring the pure, sweet space you can only get from the oxygen tanks your grandma sucked air from . Knowing that you were on top of the world, away from prying eyes, where you were alone.

And then you jumped, right? You freaking _jumped. _

You felt that touch of gravity close to your stomach, like a whole bunch of butterflies suddenly went on a feeding frenzy inside your body. Do you know what happened?

Falling. Give the kid a prize. Preferably life.

And the instant your arm hit the ground; you heard that loud, dull snap. At first you think, _Well, I can't fly. Got to give Jimmy his five bucks back. _And then you don't think. Not one thought in your brain.

You know why?

Are you sure you want to know?

Your arm broke. That's right. And it takes only a second. One, measly, heartbreaking, freaking _second, _for the primitive brain in your oversized head to realize that you've been hurt.

Then it's pain.

You all know what I'm talking about. It might have been the tree, or the skateboard, or the bike, or a car crash. But you know that pain? That pain that feels like it'll eat your insides until you're dead? It hurts, right? It hurts bad.

Now, think of pain feeling a million times more agonizing.

Then you might get a glimpse of what I was feeling.

For a moment after my eyes closed, I couldn't think, but not necessarily because I was in pain.

Because I was dead.

But a split second after I lost all thought, I felt a stabbing right next to my heart.

First thought: _Apparently God doesn't like me. Wasted myself on the Coke, I guess. Then again, maybe my mutanty existance just ticks him off._

Then, I felt a small pinprick on my arm. Then another one. And two more after that.

I tried to open my eyes, to tell the vampire jerk to quit messing with me, to get the hell out of my private fantasy/death thing, when my heart started to burn.

Like it was on fire.

So, naturally, my second thought was: _So _this _is Hell. _

But that pain kept growing. And no matter how hard I tried to move, tried to call out to someone, _anyone, _there was no one to answer.

Third Thought: _Hell should go to Hell, 'cause Hell sucks. _

Because I couldn't move. I couldn't hear. I couldn't see. Heck, I wouldn't have been surprised if I wasn't even breathing.

After a while I tried screaming.

No go.

I tried moving again, to get a knife or something. Something sharp. Something that could imbed itself into my skin. End it, I thought. _End it NOW!_

_Nothing worked._

The white-hot fire floomed through my veins, sparking every capillary, each nerve until I felt like my whole body was turned into molten lava. Molten lava that had nerve endings. Molten freaking _lava _in great freaking pain.

I don't know when I started hallucinating. Which is kind of messed up, considering that I couldn't see in the first place. But soon, I found myself lying on some beach. My eyes opened, and I felt the sun burn my retinas. I closed them immediately.

It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced.

I still felt the pain. It hurt worse than ever. I didn't scream though. This place…there was something about this place that made me feel calm, despite the pain I was in. Like when you get tranquilized for instance. That makes you feel calm and happy. _Not. _

As I said before, pretty creepy.

Well, back to life. I was lying on sand so white, it looked like it could be in a toothpaste commercial. I noticed I was in the same clothes before, which kind of disappointed me. I wanted to be in a bathing suit or something, 'cause it was so dang hot. Which was weird. Are you supposed to feel anything in a hallucination other than what your body was feeling where it already was?

There were palm trees dotted around, and as I lifted my head, I saw clear water. The ocean, probably. A lot of bad experiences at the ocean. I kind of wanted to grab a banana and scram, when I heard a voice.

"Scared?"

I looked over, and almost fainted right then.

Max was there, _of course, _in a blue striped bathing suit and red lifeguard sporty shorts, drinking lemonade on a lounge chair. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun.

She looked over and smiled. "Wow. Transforming, huh? I _so _relate. Pretty much sucks, doesn't it?"

I nodded my head mutely. Did I pass out again?

"Yeah, I'm not real, genius," she commented, taking a small sip of her lemonade. She sighed. "Your dreaming me up in your fantasies. Couldn't you pick a better spot? Bad times here, you know?"

"W-what?" I stuttered. Is she crazy? "Where are we exactly?"

"This is an actual beach! We've been here before. Where I had, my, uh, chip problem. Where, I, uh, tried to _get it out?" _She looked at me knowingly, and shrugged.

Huh. I looked around, and I realized that this _was _the same place where that scenario happened. Where the sharks blew themselves out of the water and freaking _waved _at us.

Good times man, good times.

Or not.

"Why the hell am I here then?" I muttered. "Could've gone to the Moroccan beaches or something. Or, like, the Caribbean."

Max looked at me weirdly. As if I've grown a third eye and a bushy tail. "No you couldn't." she said, sounding surprised.

Taking hesitating steps, I walked over—which hurt like all heck, I might add—and sat next to Max, putting my arm on the back of the chair. She turned her head and smiled sadly at me. "Why?" I asked. So Max suddenly knew more than me. She'll be hounding me for _years _after this.

"Because you've never been there before."

"No kidding."

"Well, I'm sorry I'm Captain Obvious here, Fang!" I smiled. "But seriously, you can only teleport here because you've _been _here."

I jerked away from her and almost fell out of the chair. "Whoa, what did you say?"

She looked into my eyes. "You couldn't go to Morocco because you haven't _been_ there. Unless you flew over there while we were in Europe?" She wiggled her eyebrows, but I wasn't in a laughing mood.

"You're crazy," I said, getting up. "This hallucination is insane."

"You're here, Fang!," she said. "I mean, didn't you even notice where you _are?"_

"Well, yeah!" I said, stricken. "Where else am I?"

"_Look harder!"_

Ah.

Well, I sort of squinted my eyes and concentrated a little bit when a guy in a blue bathing suit suddenly appeared buying a soda from a vendor guy?

_Huh?_

And then everyone was there.

An extremely crowded beach today. I don't know what was happening. I walked around, and I caught a few stares from the teenage girls, their eyes widening in interest. Max sighed, got up from her seat, and walked behind me. No one looked at her.

I walked in front of one teenager, squatted down, and yelled in her ear (to Max) "Are these real?" That didn't sound right. That didn't sound right _at all._

I was immediately slapped. I staggered, and fell face first into the sand. "UH!" The girl said, getting up and marching away from me. "THE DOCTOR SAID NO ONE WOULD NOTICE!"

I raised my eyebrows. Okaaaay.

"You're here, Fang."

"No, I'm not. These are hallucinations too."

"_I'm _the hallucination. Right now, I'm sitting by your bed in the hospital."

"Then where am I in real life?"

"_Your _other self is in the bed transforming. Edward injected morphine into your system, so you couldn't feel anything. I think…" she paused. "I think you could have taken your other self with you, so you could still be one Fang, you know? But you were in so much pain and stuff; you kind of just…broke away. So you duplicated yourself _and _teleported." By now she looked thoughtful. "Does Edward know?"

"Edward's a tool."

"Touch me," she said, holding out her arm. I took a step back and shook my head.

"This is getting out of hand, Max. Why don't we just, you know, relax and have, like, a latte—?"

"Damn it, Fang! _Touch me!" _I took a hasty step forward, and touched her arm.

My fingers went right through her. I blinked, which showed how startled I was.

"Well," I said, trying to cover up. "You're a hallucination, right? So you're not real."

"He finally gets it!" She huffed, throwing her arms in the air, those graceful arms…

"Now touch that girl over there," she said, pointing at a pale, skinny brunette with glasses the size of basketballs.

I walked over, and tapped her shoulder. She looked up, and her eyes widened. "Hi." She leered. "Need anything?" Was there a double meaning in those words? That's dis_gust_ing! What happened to the young age of America? The land of the Free? The Land where there weren't any mutants of vampires that had freaky powers? I missed those days. The good old days...too bad I didn't remember them.

It took me a second to realize that my finger didn't come out her other ear, metaphorically speaking. Her skin felt warm and firm.

I staggered back. "No. No way!"

Max smiled. "You're really here, you know."

I blinked again, which, hurt like hell. Then Max started to disappear. I could see the lifeguard right through her.

"Max!" I said, vacillating toward her. "Don't go!"

"Find out how to get back, Fang. You don't need me anymore." By now she was barely transparent. Everything through her lost its blur, and became crystal clear. "This is your power, Fang. Use it, okay? Find your way back. I'll see you later." The last thing I small was a flash of white teeth. Her smile. Like the freaking Cheshire Cat.

I felt like hyperventilating. The pain of the transformation came crashing back. I no longer felt calm, and the white noise around me was deafening. I was freaking out. The pain was unbearable by now, and what Max had said swarmed back into my brain.

I could teleport. There was two of me right now. But that other one is supposed to be _here. _So I could duplicate and teleport? This is too much. I sat down hard on my butt, and the pain grew so intense I couldn't think about it anymore.

And everything went black.

**Okay guys! Awesome three powers in here. You don't know the third, but see if you can figure it out! Teleporting _and Duplicating. _This is just...like...too much!**

**Awesome guys. Let's go to...307. Yeah, that's it. 307. Oh, try to think of traits and other cool talents Max and Fang have. And Iggy and Nudge and Gazzy and Angel. Not making any promises but the _whole _flock might go to the dark side...where they sell burnt cookies.**

**307. Here we go,**

**-Pegasus**


	25. Chapter 25

Nudge's POV

Jacob was _so _hot. Incredibly hot. Like, so hot, he was, like, on fire. Like, an exploding bomb of hotness.

But I never thought that he'd _actually _explode.

One minute, it was all cool and stuff. Iggy was kissing me on the head (about fell over on that one. Jacob's hot. But Iggy is nice, sweet, totally cute, _and _hot. He makes bombs. Like, awesome bombs…), Max was starting to remember herself, and we all weren't being chased by flyboys. Or M-Geeks. Or whatever those other things were. Those green eye thingies. So life was, like, perfect. There could have been a campfire. We could have eaten s'mores.

Then Jacob just _had _to ruin the moment.

All at once, there was screaming from the nurses outside as the wolf grew large than the room. The wall caved over his head, and a bunch of plaster fell over us.

"Get the heck out of here!" Max said. "I'll handle the spaz!" She came in front of us, blocking the wolf from us with her body. We didn't move.

She seemed to notice this almost immediately. She turned as Edward rammed himself into Jacob, cracking the wall as Jacob was thrown against it. The glass shook into a million pieces as it broke. Like a light show. A freaking demented lightshow.

"Are you guys _deaf?" _She almost yelled throughout the plaster and glass falling everywhere.

"No, but I'm blind!" Iggy said brightly, holding me close.

"Run before I _throw _you!" She screamed, taking an angry step forward.

"Gone, baby," I said, and Iggy huddled us out of there.

Doesn't life suck? Like, a lot?

Max's POV

Man, I was so freaking _mad. _I was a vampire, _Fang _was turning into a vampire, Edward was in the same room that I was, and suddenly this guy—Jacob—explodes in front of my face. In the middle of a freaking _Hallmark _moment! I was out for blood, man.

Werewolf blood.

Sam and Paul and Jared were changing too, and then the room was suddenly filled with one vampire, one avian hybrid vampire, one avian hybrid vampire _sleeping_, and four werewolves, one seriously out of control.

In the middle of a hospital. A _freaking hospital._

Where a bunch of nurses and doctors and patients were screaming for help, for each other, for the police, CIA and FBI. Isn't this just so dang cozy!?

What to do…what to do…

Aha! Without a thought (actually, there was a whole lot of thought,) I grabbed Fang from the bed, and ran headfirst into Jacob so fast and strong that we crashed through the wall and fell five stories onto the ground. Many bones cracked. Thankfully, not mine. Unthankfully, Jacob's.

Edward was right behind me, muttering profanities and many death wishes. "What the…" he said, a look of incredulity on his face.

Sam, Jared, and Paul immediately knelt at Jacob's side (how'd they get here so fast? Were they like, part cheetah?), calming Jacob down. The shaking slowed until it stopped altogether. And Jacob suddenly transformed back into a human again, moaning softly.

"You could have killed him!" Sam said, suddenly standing up and jabbing an angry finger into my chest.

"Don't touch me, dog, or I'll _really_ do something to make you cry!" I said, pushing him, not hard, but enough for him to get the picture. Which was a bad idea.

Of course, being _me, _I change a lot. Get different powers, different hormones. Like puberty, except that this sucks _way _more. So, with this awesome, incredible strength, I had no idea just _how strong _I actually was.

So when I pushed Sam, he kind of flew (not with wings, dummy) almost six hundred feet, crashing into a tree in the middle of the forest some long way off.

"Max, this is _not helping _with the whole helping you thing!" He seethed, running over to Sam.

And you know what. As soon as he left, I was in for a big surprise. I had no idea where the flock was, and suddenly in front of me were police cars, all wailing and stuff, with policemen climbing out, pointing guns at my chest, looking at Jacob lying on the ground, moaning, and Sam, Jared, and Paul looking stricken. There was Fang, unconscious, in my arms. Not something policemen would like to see. Something that would, say, get me arrested _and _shot. Like, at the same time.

Oh yeah, one more thing.

Because right above them, there were close to one thousand angry flyboys. M-Geeks slithered from the trees. And right beside it, the demon GoBots from the frozen hell stood stock straight right beside us, their bright, green eyes devoid of expressions. The Flyboys hovering with those big, red, glowing eyes fixed on _moi._

For a minute, I was totally stunned by what was happening. And I know you're thinking: No! Max? Stunned? What is this, Fanfiction?

I know…I know.

So, this is what I've come up with based on this interesting, ah, get together between bloodthirsty enemies that everyone absolutely _adores! _

Itex was back up from that Volturra place. Definitely.

The Uber-Director was still alive. The hamster's apparently still homeless.

Mr. Chu was still going on with his own demented mind. Stupid Brigid must have been behind the Chinese mastermind/evil-genius/complete psychopath.

They were all somehow working together. Even the cops seemed completely obvlivious to all the robots. Or were they working with _them? _

Dang it, man. Dang it all to freaking _heck. _

Iggy's POV

We got to Bella's house all right. As in, no bruises or cuts. A lot of hearts were hurting. Bad. Like mine, for one. Which sounds totally messed up. Max was fine, Fang was fine, everyone was laughing/crying/hugging. Things were good. Nothing was out to kill us.

And then the werewolf explodes. Need I repeat myself?

As soon as we flew into the room, I felt someone else there. There was a slight creaking as someone changed positions slightly. _Bella?_

I instantly hustled the kids behind me as I stared at Bella warily. Well, not stare, but sort of look toward her in that general direction. Why? Because girls go on rampages when their boyfriends break up with them. I mean, it's a freaking known fact.

"Bella? I thought you were going to the hospital," I said cautiously. "Are you okay?"

Nothing. "Iggy?" Angel asked.

Hesitating, I slowly walked over and sat on the bed next to her. No response. "Bella, talk to me."

"He's gone." She whispered, completely devoid of all emotion. Like a robot or something.

I mean, I _wanted _to tell her. I wanted to tell her Edward was in fact two miles away fighting Jacob the demon freakish werewolf. It was weird, how in touch I felt toward her. It was like I _knew _her, somehow. I wanted to help her. I wanted to be her friend. This was why I was not totally going off my rocker and calling the cops (wait,_ me? Call the cops?_), which is, you know, what I'd usually do.

"Where are the bedsheets?" We needed to sleep sometime this year.

No answer. "They're in the cupboard outside." Angel said.

"Nudge?" I'm brilliant, but I'm blind. I'll find that dang cupboard as soon as I design the eight wonder of the world.

"On it!" She said. Her footsteps faded. Stopped for a second. Came back. "I've got a lot of cool ones. There was even a couple sleeping bags!"

Everyone was slapping each other with high fives. Except Bella, who just didn't seem to be in the high-fiving mood.

"Uh…" I said, trying to figure something out. How to comfort a heartbroken eighteen year old. Or seventeen. Somewhere around there. "How old are you?" I muttered stupidly.

No answer. "She's eighteen." Angel said matter-of-factly.

"Okay." Glad I cleared that mess up. "So…Bella," I slurred. "We're going to stay here awhile, okay?"

No answer. "We're going to help you out, okay? I'll cook."

Nothing.

And then the world seemed to deflate. Bella's lips seemed to quiver with unintelligible language, and suddenly, she had her head buried in my chest, crying her eyes out it seemed like, her arms around me.

I awkwardly put one arm around her. "It's okay." I said, staring straight ahead. "He's a jerk anyways. You'll be fine."

"N-n-no!" She moaned, pounding my chest. She didn't say anything else after that.

Someone sat at my other side. "Iggy!" Nudge wailed, and then she was crying her eyes out too. "Uh…"

"IGGY!"

"This is terrible!"

"What's going to happen?"

And soon, I was trapped between three avian hybrids and a love-stricken eighteen year old, hugging a peeved blind kid at a complete loss for words.

I felt like a freaking tuna sandwich.

Fang's POV

When I finally woke up, the pain seemed to recede a little bit, so I was able to do some stuff, like get up and walk around. But, unfortunately, I found myself in a white, bland room, surrounded by IV tips, and a nurse looking down at me like I was Godzilla.

"Crap!" I muttered, looking down at the scratchy sheets. If I had a nickel for every time I've been in a hospital, I'd have, like, fifteen cents.

"Are you okay?" She asked anxiously, keeping her distance, yet unable to tear her eyes away from me. Bet you ten bucks she already knew about the wings. "How are you feeling?"

"Just peachy," I groaned. "Never been better." Notice the sarcasm. I decided to jump right to business. "Okay. Look, lady, thanks for whatever the hell it is you did and everything, but I gotta fly—I mean, go," I said, ripping the tape and tubes from my body.

"What?!" she practically shrieked, making me jump almost ten feet in the air. "You can't go! You've been unconscious for a day!"

_What?_

"Excuse me?"

"You passed out on the beach," she confirmed, cooling down. "We need to runs some tests, make sure you're alright, apart from the…" she glanced toward my shoulder blades.

"Oh, why didn't you mention it?"

"So you're not leaving."

"No. I _am _leaving, and what you've just said reminded me how much I _needed _to get out of here. Thanks."

So, there you have it. I jumped out of the bed. Put on my clothes. Walked out of there as if I owned the place. I was going home. Sort of. Going to Forks and find out what the heck was going on.

Then I suddenly heard something. A voice I didn't recognize. "You could have killed him!" someone yelled. It sounded far off, like it was heard through a tunnel.

Max's voice was clearer. "Don't touch me, dog, you're I'll _really_ do something to make you cry!" she said.

Instantly, I went into hyperdrive. Was she okay? Who was the punk?

Then instantly I felt strong. Like I was suddenly jolted with energy from a generator or something. Blue sparks literally flew from my body, and before I had a chance to raise my eyebrows. I disappeared from the parking lot.

And found myself face to face, in Max's arms. She wasn't staring at me. Her mouth was hanging open. "My God…" she whispered.

"Max?" I said, jumping out of her arms. I kind of fell on the ground, before I jumped up as if the whole thing happened on purpose.

Her eyes instantly snapped to mine. She opened her mouth. "Fang…"

That feeling was gone now, and so was the pain. It seemed to, like, disappear or something. I felt happy.

I was about to step forward and ask what the heck was going on, when suddenly I was jolted with that same electricity. I was falling, swooning.

And found myself back in the Florida parking lot.

I started walking, and the whole "transporting to a different spot" didn't hit me until I was two miles out of sight.

**323! The big 323! All your reviews are fantastic! Keep it up.**

**Four POV's. Awesome.**

**Remember 323! And then Edward will have **_**his point **_**of view. And we'll take him back to the place he thought he'd never go again…**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey Guys! Finally updated! Yay! Yay! Get excited! That's all I'm going to say...**

NOW ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edward's POV

I've tried so hard to make things right ever since Bella's birthday. No one could imagine…you couldn't image…how I'm feeling.

I _had _to do what I did. She's safe now. That's everything to me. But I'm selfish. Her voice tears me apart every time I hear her in my mind, yelling for me to stay.

But really, I'm not feeling anything. The numbness envelops me like a drug, and the world is moving too fast.

"Sam!" I yelled, heading over to the spot he crashed into. The tree snapped in half, and Sam was sitting on the trunk like a throne.

His eyes were slightly crossed, and he was moaning. "What the…" he slurred, slowly rolling until he fell to the ground. I grabbed his arm, and threw him to his feet. He pushed me away.

"Do you see what I'm talking about? She can't be left out on a loose leash," I said.

He glared at me, but his shoulders seemed to sag. "Whatever."

"Then there's nothing to it," I said, and with that, I was running again, streaking through the forest like lightening. Sam was right behind me, his paws scraping against the dirt.

At first I was thinking that I've finally done something right. Max wouldn't get ripped to pieces. She would live, as well as Fang. They would all be fine.

Then I saw them.

Flying through the trees were robots, their faux skin stretched taunt over their rigid faces. I caught glimpses of machine humanoids slithering through the trees, they're dull glowing eyes all aimed at Max. Fang was nowhere to be seen.

"Max!" I yelled. "Get out of here!" In a moment I was pushing her away, but she held her ground.

"Me? Run from a fight? Your perfect head's screwed on the wrong way!" She pushed me, sending me back over two hundred feet before I ran back to her again.

"Besides," she confirmed, cracking her knuckles. "I've been dealing with this kind of crap since I was born, and believe me, I am _not _going into a cage ever again. Bet on that."

And then she jumped. Jumped higher than I've ever any vampire jump, scaling the trees, and going higher and higher…

Then from the back of her clothes—I could make out large slits cut into them—erupted wings, larger and more beautiful than anything I've ever seen on a bird. She flapped them once, grinning, and then she dove into the mass of robots, kicking and punching. The robots flew everywhere, barely able to protest as Max whipped this way and that. She seemed invincible. And she was.

Sam barked once, and I could here him thinking: _We have to help. _He blinked at me with those big eyes, and dove toward the trees, ripping into one robot as its hinges groaned feebly.

Robots were hitting me on the head as they crashed toward the ground, and I sensed a loud scraping noise from behind me. Whipping my hand around in a lethal fist, I took out one robot, sending it spinning in the earth. I sent out punches of my own, taking out fury I've never had into the watch works of robots left and right.

And just like that, it was over. Metal parts, and some other interesting appendages, were scattered across the hospital parking lot. I could hear police cars screeching, and I saw overweight policemen staring at us in shock, damn it.

"It's time to go," I said, before streaking into the trees. Max, and Sam were right behind me.

"Max, you go back to the house with Sam. Do whatever you want there. I'll be there after I'm finished." I looked at the sky. It was dark, the pinks, blues, reds and fiery oranges painted palely across the mass or air.

"Where are you going? I need to see if my family's okay!" Max halted, and I did too. I grasped her by the shoulders, and she flinched.

"Don't worry about that. I'll check for you.

"I'm going there anyways."

Iggy's POV

After the world drifted back toward sanity, I calmly wiggled out of the human/mutant sandwich. I could hear sniffles from everyone except Bella. She was still full out sobbing, her cries muffled by the pillow she threw over her face.

"Bella," I said gently. "Get some rest. You're going to need it after tonight." I could tell she was exhausted by the way her breathing sounded. It was drawn out, and totally irregular, and loud.

"Wh-what d-do you m-mean?" She stuttered. "I have to make you something." Weight was lifted from the bed--she was standing up.

"No, I'll do it. I may be a blind freak, but I'm also a blind freak that can whip up a mean crème brulee. Where's you dad?" I listened, but I couldn't hear anything.

"I don't know."

I listened. Nothing.

"He's not here. Nudge, come down and help me." I felt my way down the stairs and headed to the kitchen.

"Find some hot chocolate. She needs to calm down. Hot chocolate does wonders for that kind of stuff, you know."

"Okay." She shuffled through some stuff. "Oooh, there's a whole box full!"

"Is there milk? I don't want to use water."

"There's a couple gallons in the refrigerator."

"Excellent!" I said, rubbing my hands gleefully. We made some for everyone.

Balancing the cups between us, we slowly made our way upstairs, and were met with excited giggles. "O-kay, hot chocolate for everyone." I handed them out, and I could her cautious sips, and inhales. I put the last two cups on the dresser (don't even ask how I knew it was there, because I don't know), and heaved Bella under the covers. I gave her a cup mutely, and then took my own cup to the floor where I was supposed to sleep.

"Okay, guys, go to bed," I said, having already flicked off the lights. "We'll figure out everything tomorrow." I leaned up against the bed, and waited.

A couple of seconds, I heard three avian hybrids snoring.

Bella's breathing through the night was uneven. She twisted and turned for hours and hours. I smacked my head against the bed a couple of times. Then I listened. All was quiet.

Then came the screaming.

I was nodding off, you know, and it was about two or three in the morning. My eyes were closing…my breath was slowing…I was about to enter the world of ponies and pegasi…

An ear-splitting scream echoed throughout the room, and I jumped so high I hit the ceiling. Hard. "OW!"

I ran to the side of her bed. "Bella! Bella!" I started shaking her, hoping against hope that the kids would stay asleep. Nothing but her screaming entered my ears.

"Bella!"

Suddenly, the screaming was cut off, and turned to sobbing. Thin arms wrapped themselves around me. Bella's head leaned up against my chest as she continued to cry.

I leaned her up against the headboard, and I got myself comfortable. I mean, I'm great, I make freaking bombs and everything, but comforting people hasn't ever really been my forte. Except with Max. That was pure luck.

"Shh," I murmured. "It's okay. I'm here. No one's going to hurt you."

I could feel her head shaking, and slowly, the sobs turned to sniffles.

"See?" I said, wiping her tears with my thumb. "It's all good. Go back to sleep. Nothing's going to hurt you anymore, Bella, I'm keeping watch."

I was about to untangle myself from her grasp, but she whispered brokenly, "Wait."

I froze.

"Please stay," she begged. "I can't…he's not…this is the first time… I'm alone..." She started sobbing again. And then hiccupped. "Please stay with me."

I thought about it for a second. It was a miracle the kids haven't woken up, and Charlie wasn't back yet. Nudge'll probably go ballistic, but…

"Yeah, I'll stay." I sat on the bed again, and put my feet up. She stretched, and put my head on my shoulder. I put my arm around her, feeling totally awkward. After a couple of seconds, her breathing slowed for the first time all night. Her shoulders relaxed up against me. She was asleep.

Well, that's just _great _for her and all, but here I am, in her bed, stuck, in the middle of the night. Not getting a wink of sleep. A crappy picture to paint, in my opinion. I mean, what the hell would I have to say to Nudge—

The window creaked open. I sat bolt upright, listening. Bella's arms slid off me, but she didn't wake up. My ears pricked, I sat as still as granite.

"Iggy," someone whispered next to my ear.

Instantly my arm shot out, connecting with stone. I almost cussed out loud, but instead I cradled my hand, cursing every bad word in the book. And some that _weren't _in the book. I was cursing because of my hand. Dead giveaway, right?

But I was also as mad as fire.

Because Edward—the stupid, idiot _thing _called Edward—was standing right next to me, not breathing, and not saying a word.

Edward's POV

He looked upset. He was looking at me, but his eyes were the palest blue. Yet his blindness did not stop him from staring straight into my coal, unfeeling, not beating heart.

"Get out," he ordered without preamble.

"I can't."

"Well, why not? You shouldn't be here. Don't you realize what you've done to her? She started screaming in the middle of the night! She's torn apart! You should get out and stay gone!" His voice rose to a strangled whisper.

I glanced at Bella, who seemed to be smiling in her sleep. "Edward," she whispered.

My heart ripped open.

"Please," I begged, my voice cracking. Not like it mattered. "Please let me talk to her."

His eyebrows raised, Iggy scrutinized me for a second, which hurt a lot more than if he _did _have eyes. Those pale blue irises made my heart quicken with guilt.

"Don't wake her up," he finally ordered, before walking away to the farthest point of the room. Plopping himself down, he watched me blindly.

Tearing my eyes away from him, I gazed at Bella, who was still smiling. I slowly settled my self on the bed, and laid next to her. I cradled her head in my arms, and she didn't wake up.

"Bella," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

She sighed. "Why did you leave?" she moaned, burying her face in my clothing. My eyes were burning.

"Bella, I—I—" I curled my fingers through my hair, trying to rip it out. "I love you _so much, _Bella," I said, my voice cracking again. "I love you. I don't want you too…I would never forgive myself if—"

"Edward…" Bella murmured. "I love you…how could you leave me alone?"

"It's for the best. I shouldn't have ever met you. I shouldn't have spoken to you…" My heart turned to ice. Bella's breathing became irregular.

"Edward…" Iggy muttered. "She's going to freak out."

That's when she started screaming again, so loud that everyone woke up, wide awake. What ws so different about, _this _scream, was that she was crying out, "Don't leave! Don't leave me alone!" Her eyes were fluttering.

"What the…" Gazzy muttered.

"What's happening?" Nudge sat up, rubbing her eyes.

I stared, uncomprehending.

"Get out! GET OUT OF HERE!" Iggy yelled, pushing me. "You're killing her!"

My eyes snapped toward him.

Bella gasped, and started sobbing, crying into the pillow.

"Bella…" I muttered so low she couldn't here me. But all of a sudden she froze. She raised her head.

"_Get out…" _Iggy hissed, sitting on the bed beside her.

I slipped out the window. Staring at nothing for a moment, I stood in Bella's yard, wishing I could die. Bella…my god…my god!

And with that, I destroyed half the forest.

**Oooooo, that's pretty intense.**

**Just saying.**

**Okay, let's go for....337. Yeah, that's it. Let's go...**


	27. Chapter 27

Fang's POV

So I was walking, you know, feeling like crap and everything, wishing I could die, and all of the world felt like a blanket suffocating me. I mean, was _anything _normal in this world? Vampires, werewolves, mutants…what'll be next, human snickerdoodles?

I wouldn't have been all that surprised if I saw one, I can promise you.

But there was one decent thing about what was happening in my life as of _right now. _But what? What could it be, you people ask?

My body, which has been hurting for the past, like, three freaking days has finally felt pity on me and decided to give up. Nothing hurt anymore.

I could hear more, too. My eyesight was sharper than it's ever been, and everywhere I walked, beams of light shot off in the sand. No one noticed, 'cause no one was here. I could see a group of people farther down the beach, but they were a long way off. A couple of miles at least.

Great, I thought. Another stupid power I _don't _want.

Then I thought of Edward, his perfect hair, that sneer on his face. Man, I wanted to just _kill him _at that moment. This was all of his fault, his entire _freaking _fault—

At that moment, picturing Edward's disgusting face, I felt it. That jolt of electricity. I was falling, but managed to take one step forward…

And I was suddenly face to face with him. His eyes widened.

Without thinking, I cocked my arm back, and landed a solid punch right between his eyes.

And he flew, man. He flew so…freaking…far…

He literally rocketed back I don't know how many yards , deep into the forest, until a poor tree got in the way, and I saw his back crack against the bark, and the tree instantly snapped in half. He was sitting on a personalized throne of ugliness.

And guess who was the king.

I sprinted to where he was, and within mere moments, not seconds, _moments, _I was about a inch away from his face.

"So…" he said. His voice sounded like a monotone's…dead, and devoid of any feeling. "I see the transformation is complete. Immortality…what a curse…" he turned toward something, and I looked in the direction he was looking, my eyebrows raised. Pretty stupid of me, yeah, whatever. But he looked so darned depressed that I didn't think he'd pull a fast one on me. But what was even weirder about it was the fact that I didn't pay attention to anything he said. I didn't realize who I was…and what I had become.

I was looking at Bella's house. For the first time I realized it was almost morning. And then I realized that a bunch of trees were literally demolished. It was like a lumberjack who turned into an ax murder and tried to cut down the whole forest. While drunk.

I turned back to him, my eyebrows raised. "You did this?"

He didn't answer, but his eyes flickered in my direction.

I looked back, and I felt sad. As much as I hated him, it wasn't Edward's fault. I probably would have done the same thing, but all the same—

Then Iggy was standing in Bella's window.

He looked out into the forest, and he seemed to stare right at me.

Without a sound, and I flew toward him and jumped into his window, my wings snapping out. I didn't feel them before that…weird…I folded them back in as I landed without a whisper on the wooden floor.

"Fang?" Iggy asked, a smile breaking over his features. He held out his fist. I knocked it lightly. At my touch, his eyes narrowed. He looked at me, which is always weird, since he can't see anything.

"So it's happened, hasn't it?" he said.

"What?" I raised my eyebrows. "What happened?" That's when I noticed my voice. It had changed. It was almost musical…

Without thinking, I weaved through all the sleeping bodies, going berserk, until I found a mirror. And I saw my face.

The paleness startled me, and I blinked. I was still dark, in that olive colored way, but just a few tones lighter. I leaned in closer, touching my cheeks, which was as hard as diamonds. I could see every detail, and those glowing red eyes reminded me of Max's. And my actual face—it looked different. Weirder.

"My god…" I murmured, staring now at the dust specks floating around. "This is unreal…"

"Fang?" Iggy muttered. "Don't freak out, okay? Bella will start screaming again."

"What?" I turned.

Bella was asleep, her head resting diagonally on the pillow. The covers were spewed around her, and I was startled to find Iggy placing himself delicately among the covers. Still asleep, Bella's arm found Iggy's chest. She sighed, and her breath whooshed around the room. I could see it. I could literally, freaking, _see it. _The tainted air rushed right to me, and hit my nostrils. I sniffed, and shuddered. I was salivating. However, it wasn't that bad, so I instead I focused on her arm draped across his torso.

"Uh, Iggy?"

"Yeah?"

I looked at him quizzically. "What…exactly…are you doing?"

He shrugged. "Edward does this every night. Now that he's not here anymore…she starts screaming."

I remembered him saying something about that before. "Why?" I tiptoed over, not making a sound. I was like a shadow.

"Well, she's so used to it….I don't know. I guess the idea of him being _gone _from here, is like being gone from her life, which, you know, is what exactly happened. If someone's here," he gestured at the bed, "then she's not so lost anymore."

"You're reading too much into this."

"Hey, don't blame me for noticing more than you, bloodsucker."

"Whatever."

He paused. "Do you want me to wake everyone up?"

I immediately shook my head. "No, I gotta see Max first…" And make sure she's not doing anything frivolous, like picking a fight with King Kong.

"I'll be here when you get back," Iggy promised.

"Where else would you go? China?"

"Shut up." He sighed, and closed his eyes. He started snoring.

I chucked.

I slithered from the window. Edward hadn't moved.

"Why is it so easy?" I called. He didn't move, he wasn't even listening. "Resisting," I said, appearing right in front of him. His eyes snapped toward mine.

"What?"

"I think I was asking you a question. One that you appeared to be oblivious to."

"I didn't hear anything." He said, staring at Bella's house again. "I didn't even see you come out."

Okay, color me _way _freaked. "What do you mean you didn't see me come out? I saw you looking at me!" I took a step back. For the first time in a long time, I was scared.

His eyes widened. He stood up. "Where'd you go."

"What the hell are you _talking _about? I'm right here!" I waved my arms in front of him.

Not even a blink.

I looked down. I could see myself just fine. My ripped clothes, my freakish paled hands…

But to him, I wasn't there.

It was like I was invisible.

I whirled around, and jumped, going so far I landed in the window of Bella's house again. I looked back. Edward didn't see.

"Iggy?" I yelled. He was still snoring. Jeb trained everyone to start freaking out at the slightest sound, but they were all snoring like tomorrow wasn't even here yet.

I started thinking about the beach, when Max was showing me my power of transporting to different places. And duplicating myself. Is this a new power?

Still thinking about that beach, I took a step forward, about to jump out of the window and head over to the Cullen's, when I felt that sickening swooning…the flash of light…

I was back on that beach. Because of the time zone change, it was around one o'clock.

"Great," I muttered, kicking the sand.

And apparently I appeared at that moment. I don't know exactly why. Maybe I was thinking of the previous incident here when I remembered how that one girl gawked as I pointed at her…chest.

But I knew I was visible at that time, because all heads on the beach turned my way. Everyone's jaw dropped.

I looked down. I was literally glowing, like a thousand diamonds were superglued to my entire body. My shirt was open, because of the multiple rips, and I sparked in broad daylight.

And that's about when the screaming began.

**Okay guys! Fang's got a new power, which will be elaborated in the near future! Man, I love powers.**

**And I hated New Moon. But Taylor Lautner…he was brilliant. As an actor, I mean.**

**Okay, going for 354! Let's go!**

**-Pegasus6644**


	28. Chapter 28

Max's POV

Okay, I've got to fess up. Confess my sin. My dreadful, excruciating sin.

I ditched Sam on the way back to his house.

Or Emily's, the girl he's been talking about since we started this freaking trek that led from a hospital parking lot full of dead robots to a house infested with werewolves. _Not _my idea of fun, let me tell you.

After five minutes of walking I felt like tearing out my eardrums. I don't know if it was this whole vampire thing, or Fang's disappearance-power-vampire thing, or Sam's constant yet ever so silent jabbering, but I was slightly off my rocker today. But, you know, whatever.

"You know, I think I'll just fly over to your house," I said, my hands balled up at my sides. I pinched my eyes shut, and concentrated on _not _punching him into a time where he'll go dumb, and stop staring off into space with gooey expressions whenever he talked of his girlfriend. Or just into infinity. Whichever comes first.

"You don't know the way," he said. I could feel his eyes on me, and I took a tiny step away from him. "_And _you haven't eaten anything. You have to…to…well, do whatever you blood—I mean, _vampires _do. I can't let you just go off on your own. You'll kill someone!"

My eyes flashed open, and in a second I had him by the throat and up against a tree. My eyes saw red (the whole _iris _thing didn't help much), but I was careful not to squish him again. His eyes narrowed, and he started quivering and shaking like a blender.

"Okay, you half-brained _dog,_" I snarled, pushing him up against the tree again. "In case your beady eyes missed it, I'm not a _killer. _I was never a _killer." _Then I thought of Ari, and how I killed him, but then he came back to life like Jesus Christ. I decided not to tell him about that, for reasons everybody with an IQ of fifty-five and over can understand. I went back to scary Max Mode. "I won't _kill _anyone. It's my destiny to _save _humanity, not kill the entire human population."

I pushed Sam up against the tree one more time, and turned around, ready to go into a running start back to civilization. Mainly the flock. And Fang, if I could find him.

Then I heard a ripping noise from behind me.

I whirled around.

A giant, house-sized dog stood in front of me. I suddenly pictured a dozen scenarios of Sam from before I met him. From back when to he was a kid, his first transformation, and him and another girl…

"_I can't do that…" _ _The girl said, tears filling her eyes. "I can't leave you." _

"_You don't know what they said, Emily," Sam muttered, his back turned away from her. "You have no idea what I'm capable of…this _curse _will last until I can control myself from transforming. I'm _not _going to hurt you!" _ _He said, whipping around suddenly. His fingers quivered. _

"_You're not leaving," Emily said, taking a step forward. "I don't care, Sam! I don't care what you can do with me. I'll take it all—"_

"_This isn't the life I wanted for us!" Sam yelled, backing away. His hands were tight at his side, restraining himself. His shoulders trembled. "I never wanted this. I can't control my actions any more. If I get angry…" he reached out, as if wanting to touch Emily's face, but jerked his hand back suddenly. "If I touch you, I might _kill _you. I won't let that happen."_

_He turned, and started walking toward the door. _

"_Sam!" Emily screamed, stumbling after him. She grabbed his hand…_

_He yelled and turned around, and there was a horrible ripping noise, and Emily's scream… _

I blinked myself away, staring at the huge wolf in front of me. My eyes widened. "I don't believe it," I muttered. So this was the girl he'd been jabbering about? The one he almost _killed? _

I looked in the wolf's eyes, and though Sam tried to cover his emotions, I could feel the sadness washing off him like caked dirt in a rainstorm.

I backed away from him, and then started _running. _

Don't say I was afraid, 'cause if you do, I'll smash your face upside your head, I, Maximum Ride, felt completely freaked out.

I think I've been dumb all this time, because what has been happening this last week hit me like a rock in a hard place.

I started freaking out more than I was _already _freaking out, and I jumped in the air, scaling over the trees and in the sky. It was weird…to fly without wings. I closed my eyes, and imagined my wings flashing out, and my back squirmed slightly. And then I was flying the right way. My wings barely moved, and I was flying fast…faster than I've ever flown before. Even _with _super speed, which is saying something.

I looked down below me. No one, I took a quick glance behind me, and I raised my eyebrows. The only thing that looks more familiar than a bunch of trees is…a bunch of trees. I didn't recognize anything. Sam was nowhere behind me, and then I felt a pang of guilt when I remembered how I attacked him. So me, being a nice person and all, decided to turn around and apologize for almost suffocating him, when something caught my eye.

A pale young man was walking across the forest. Edward didn't notice I was there, which was weird. I rolled my eyes. Probably moping…_again. _

So, being the _greatest _person and all, I decided to smack his head around a few times and tell him to get is act together. I could just beat him up, but I'm trying to let go of my _violent _self. Which doesn't help when I'm a vampire mutant freak. Who just attacked a werewolf barely three minutes ago.

I cruised down toward the trees until I hit the ground running. I looked up at the sky. How far did I run? I turned back. Probably a billion miles.

I ran back, careful to check my surroundings as I scanned the forest for Edward. There he was…why was he blowing up by a balloon so quickly…

"Whoa!" I yelled, screeching to a halt like the Road Runner. Edward looked up, surprised. I stopped and jogged a couple of meters toward him. I gave him the peace sign. "Yo," I said, all cool like. "What gives?"

I saw a ghost of a smile flicker across his face. "Nothing seems to faze you, does it, Max?"

I scoffed. "Oh, trust me it does. You just don't see it. I've had fourteen years practice hiding my emotions." And I looked at him with the side of my eyes. As I stared at him, a bunch of images flickered in my brain. I smiled. "You looked weird when you were a kid."

His face turned old again, and he sat down by a huge tree. "I wouldn't remember."

I cocked my head, staring down at him. "How long have you been…like this?" I said, gesturing to his overall figure.

Without raising his head, he muttered, "I was born in 1917. As a vampire, of course. As a human, I would one hundred and ten, give or take a year."

"So…you've been 17 for the past one hundred years?"

He didn't answer. He didn't need to.

Of course, with my intellect, I suddenly realized that this was what I'd be like for the rest of my life. I'll look like a fifteen year old forever. The thought depressed me. And then another think came that blew the previous one to Mars.

"I'll live forever? Me and Fang?"

"Yes. If you can find him, wherever he is."

"And my family—"

"Your family will live the way they were supposed to like normal people," Edward snarled. My heart turned into cold marble, sinking through my body. "Of course, I have no idea how long you were supposed to live. Who knows how much those scientists altered your genetic makeup."

He continued, his eyes staring far away. "They'll go to college, and get married, and have children. Years pass by very quickly for us. It'll seem like a blink of an eye before you find them old and withered, the once perfect brown hair wispy. The life in those chocolate eyes will dull, and it's not long after that…not long…" He buried his face into his hands.

I stumbled forward for the tree Edward sat up against, needing to support myself. I couldn't imagine Angel, my baby, barely able to walk up the stairs. I imagined Iggy, and Gaz, Nudge, and Angel, going through their lives as I became young enough to be their child, their grandchild…

I was becoming a real crybaby.

Unable to restrain myself, which was kind of odd, considering being a vampire was supposed to _enhance _my already enhanced super awesome strength, I sank against the bark and the tears betrayed my mask of tranquility.

"You have marvelous strength, Max, which makes me unsure as to whether the path I force myself into as we speak is relevant to you. However, until Carlisle can explain to you…and _me, _I think, whether or not it is safe for you to take care of your family, I would advise against coming in contact with them.

"I won't hurt them," I snuffled through tears. "You of all people have to know that!"

For a moment, it wasn't Edward who sat beside me, gazing out into the oncoming darkness. It was _Fang _I felt, the Fang who's always been at my side. Until now, that is.

However, until he figured out whatever it is he needs to figure out, I needed someone I could trust with me. And for the moment, I felt I could actually _trust _the person who'd transformed me in the first place.

So, without really thinking about it, I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder. It felt rock hard and smooth, just like Fang's. And I cried.

I felt Edward freeze beneath my head. I heard his breathing stop, his hair ruffle in the now distinct breeze. But I didn't care, wallowing in my self-pity for _wallowing _in my self-pity…and for everything else I've found out within the past three days.

I expected him to leap up and run. Or to push me away. But I felt his arm weave around my shoulders and pull me closer. For a moment, course adrenaline jagged through my body, making me antsy, but I pushed it out of my mind. Though he wasn't Fang by any means, Edward was a good guy. A good guy will just have to do.

"Shh…" he murmured, stroking my hair. "Shh…"

We sat the for the longest time, me leaning against his shoulder, unmovable, until the sun rose once again.

**OOOOOHHH!!!**

**Edward's point of view is coming up, as well as Iggy. But you need to review!!!!!**

**Let's go for 362!!! Bringing the count down a bit. I need to get this story **_**done. **_


	29. Chapter 29

Fang's POV

Everyone was freaking out. You think you know what that means? Trust me, you don't.

The beach became as crazy as an insane asylum during the Fourth of July. Parents were carrying their kids toward the parking lot, down the beach…basically anywhere but near me.

"OH MY GOD!" One person yelled. "THE WORLD IS ENDING!" Seriously?

This party was getting out of control. Hot dogs were thrown in the air, and sand was flying in every direction. What did I do?

I just stood there, like a good little vampire avian hybrid, shaking my head. This was just _sad._

However, the heroic selfless (this is a _big _part of my inner soul, you know) part of me decided to get the heck out of there before something bad happens. Like, a pack of Erasers come back from the dead and attack me with M16s. _Not _on the top of my list of "Fun Things to Do."

I was about to do a running start, when I figured I might hit someone, so I leapt as high as I could straight up in the air.

In one leap, I was sailing over palm trees. Houses were becoming smaller by the second. Whipping out my wings, I allowed myself a smile. Everyone stopped freaking out and gawked. It felt great.

That is, until I was rammed from the sky.

Edward's POV

We sat there—thinking of nothing, thinking of everything—for the longest time. The world turned as we sat still.

Bella was the only girl I've felt truly…compatible with. Our similarities mask our differences. Except one. The one that has me sitting next to Max instead of a chocolate-eyed human.

Yet, as young as she was, Max breathed as I breathed, blinked as I blinked, shifted when I shifted.

Never.

I did not love her. Nothing could ever make me love her as long as Bella remained in my thoughts (which was always), but I…appreciated her…friendship. Or is that the right word? The feelings for her were stronger. More like a father. Well, I _was _her father. I created her, after all.

I chucked at the thought, and the spell was broken.

Without changing her position, she turned my way. "What?" Then she looked down, at the closeness of our bodies. Her eyes widened. In a millisecond, she was one hundred feet from me, her chest heaving.

I cocked my head. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I didn't mean anything of it." I slowly stood up. "It's okay."

"You're acting like I'm a baby," she snapped. And then she closed her eyes and shook her head angrily. "I gotta get out of that," she muttered, smacking her head.

I laughed again, and I thought I saw a twinge of a smile.

Looking at the horizon, I sighed. "We have to go."

She raised her eyebrows? "Where, back to your house?"

Vampires are known for their strength. By nature, we are stronger, faster, and more graceful than any human on the planet. We can lift anything on this earth without much difficulty, if there's any strain at all.

But shaking my head was hard, feeling the bones crack, the muscles realign, as my head pivited from side to side.

"No," I ground out, concentrating hard to keep from destroying anything else to ease the pain I felt—the pain building in my cold heart like hardened cement. "We're leaving."

"_What?" _Max shouted, zipping over like a bullet. She was inches from my face. "What am I supposed to do here? I don't know _anything _about being a vampire, and you want me to stay here _alone? _How will I cope with being…" she gestured at herself angrily, "_this!"_

"Calm down, Max." I put my hands on her shoulders. Her eyes were wild, glowing like the sun. "You're not staying."

She stared at me uncomprehendingly. I realized how hard this must be for her. She's taken care of the flock her whole life. From what I could tell, she's been an incredibly selfless person. Not unlike Bella.

Max and Bella? I took a step back, realizing with force how incredibly alike they both were.

They both had the same sort of look. They're eyes and hair were similar, though Max had shades of blonde entwined with the brown hair. They were both about the same height, give or take an inch, and they both had that incredibly hard stare, like their gaze would bore right through you.

That determination in Max and Bella was always sparked in their eyes. The protection they felt over their families was incomparable with anyone I've ever met before. They both had the capability to love in every possible way, and touch anyone they met. They were beautiful.

"What do you mean?" she asked, slowly, narrowing her eyes. "I don't remember being part of this plan."

"You have to come with us," I said bluntly.

She turned pale—respectively speaking, that is—and for a moment the world became eerily silent. Then she went off.

She punched me in the face. I admit, I anticipated it, reading her exposed thoughts that ran wild, but I didn't move. I deserved it. I staggered back.

"Are you _crazy?!"_ She said, towering over me before I stood erect again. "_I have to protect my flock!" _

She threw her hands in the air. "I can't go…I can't go…I can't go…" she muttered to herself over and over again. "I have to protect them. They need me!" She pointed at herself angrily.

I was stuck by the similarity of this speech with past scenarios of my life. Bella said something similar before I agreed to let her go to Phoenix. This was exactly the type of reaction I would have expected from _her. _

"Max, I know it's hard. But we have to. You are dangerous to the flock, no matter how you put it. If you want to comb Nudge's hair, or hug Angel, you could crush them. You have to get use to your strength." She stared at the ground, the truth slowly dawning on her face.

I leaned down and stared up into her eyes so she could understand. "You. Are. Dangerous." I murmured, trying to make her see. "The thing is, Max, it could be _you _who ends up killing the people you love. You can be their murderer."

Iggy's POV

The thing about sitting absolutely still for the whole night is that it gets boring. But if you get _too _bored, it gets exciting _really _fast.

Like today (or was it yesterday?) for instance. I was so bored I was about to tear my eyes out just for something to do. Now that I think of it, why do I have eyes in the first place if I can't see? No loss, really, if I decided to really yank those useless balls out of my head. Still be the same blind old mutant kid. It's a possibility…

But, anyway, everyone was asleep, _I _was heading off to beddie-bye land despite the tension of the outside world of perpetual danger, when suddenly, poof! In waltzes Edward in all of his freaking glory, and then all of a sudden Bella goes crazy! It was like, BAM! Instant hell!

Then Fang comes in, being all ghetto-vamp and whatnot. I don't remember much of that conversation. I think I fell asleep.

But now the sun was shining, and the birds were singing, and I decided that ending my agony at this point wouldn't be a bad idea. Charlie was snoring in his room, so as quietly as I could, I started shaking Bella. "Wake up, Bella," I said, staring into what I thought was her face.

She shifted on the bed, and the springs squeaked. "Edward…" she muttered.

God, _why? _"Uh, no. It's Iggy here." I clarified. "I think it's pretty late. Charlie's still asleep, so…do you want breakfast?" I started to get up. Someone grabbed my arm.

"Iggy?" Bella clarified. Her tone was scary—it was like she was dead. "Did Edward come last night? I had the strangest dream…" I could only stare in shock. Who could sleep through all of that crying and screaming?

Well, apparently Bella can.

For a moment, I thought of telling her the truth. It might make her feel a little better, you know? I'm sure all of you readers know what I'm talking about. I thought I should've—

"No," I said. "No one was here last night." I dealt with the guilt for about half a second, and then continued. "Do you want to go back to sleep?" I said softly.

"…no," she finally slurred. "If you're going to stay, I better start taking care of things." She rose from the bed, and opened the door. I heard her footsteps descend to the kitchen. I sighed.

Walking around the bedroom, I roused everyone from sleep, and I heard a lot of yawns. They're tired, huh? I was up all freaking _night._ Sort of.

And without warning, I felt a distinct _thud _of feet against wood, as if someone jumped in the house.

"Max!" Angel squeaked. Angel ran over to where the noise came from.

I smiled. "Glad you could join us. I listened for a second soul, but I detected no one else in the room but the flock and Max. "Where's Fang?"

"I don't know," Max sighed. "It's great to see all of you." Her tone was sad and labored, and I instantly knew something bad was going down.

"Max? What's wrong?" Angel piped up, asking the question I was about to let out.

"Why are you going away?"

Max's POV

Angel's sparkling eyes looked up in mine trustingly. I wanted to hug her _so bad, _right up close, and say everything was going to be all right.

Then her face suddenly became wrinkled. Her eyes dulled, and the grip on my waist lessened. Her back stooped, and those beautiful blonde curls became wispy and dead. She continued to look up at me.

I backed away from her, my eyes widened in horror. She stared blankly back, and then all of a sudden, her face caved in, revealing nothing but blood and broken bones.

"Whyreyougongawa?" her garbled voice called out. Her finger pointed right at me, shaking and withered. Blood gushed from her mouth…

And then she was my six-year-old little Angel again, staring at me in confusion. I shook my head, staring at her, willing the blood to come, the result of me staying here, what it would mean…

"I have to, honey," I said.

"What?" Nudge squealed. "You're going away? Why?"

"No, Max!" Gazzy wailed.

"What the _hell's _going on, Max?" Iggy exclaimed. "Where are you _going?" _

"With the Cullens," I answered. "I have to learn to be around humans without…hurting anyone," I gulped, wringing my hands. I was falling to pieces.

A voice drifted from the stairs. "Iggy, I've got some food for everyone," it called up. It made me shiver. Something about it was off.

And a girl stepped in. She was a little older than me, maybe seventeen or eighteen, with chocolate brown eyes and long, brown hair. But something about those eyes made me freeze. They were dead.

She hardly looked startled when she saw me. "Another family member?" she monotoned. Without commenting again, she handed out food for everyone. I noticed she didn't make any for herself.

"I'm Bella," she said.

"Max," I nodded my head in her direction. "Hey, listen," I said, hating what I was about to do, "can you do a favor for me?"

She nodded.

"Could you take care of these guys until I come back? They'll behave, I promise." I glared at each of them for good measure. "I have to…go, for a while."

The weird thing about her reaction was that it was calm. She didn't have a fit, or complain, or call the cops. She just nodded her head, those dead eyes staring into mine without expression. Then she walked to her bathroom, and quietly closed the door.

I looked after her, a second, and then looked at the flock. "I'll be back, I promise," I said brokenly. Not a time for snide comments. "I love you all."

Everyone was crying, which broke my heart. Iggy took a deep breath, and stepped up to me. "Don't worry, Max. Go find Fang. Do what you have to do, okay? They'll be fine, I'll make sure of it."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

"I love you," I whispered, and then without any hugs, I whipped around and jumped in the night, whipping out my wings, and unleashing myself from the darkness. It was bright and sunny, and I didn't cry a single tear.

I spotted a Volvo speeding under me, and I dived, slowing down enough so I won't crash 200 meters into the earth. I ran up next to the car, which screeched to a stop. I climbed in, and leaned back against the seat, staring at the ceiling.

"Are you ready?" Edward asked, touching my hand. I didn't shake him off. I knew how difficult it was for him to leave to.

"Bella's going to take care of my flock," I reassured him. His eyes softened, and he looked away.

"I'm ready."

Okay, guys. Let's go for the big 365. I want to break five hundred before this story is done. It's a long story, so, great!

**Now, who knocked Fang out of the sky? How is Jacob reacting? **

**Find out in the next chapters!**

**365, guys, and I'll update one sweet chapter for ya!**


	30. Chapter 30

Jacob's POV

I don't remember much of anything that day. I mean, who would, when a fourteen-year-old girl with freaking glowing red eyes punches your lights out? Or did she push me out a window?

As I said, as of right now, I don't recall a whole lot from that peachy moment where the world crossed the border into insanity. Or did it?

Whatever.

Everything hurt. I had spasms about once every three seconds, and all the casts plastered over my arms didn't make things any better. Some minute it would feel like the Sahara Desert, and then an instant later I was in Siberia. People drifted in and out of the room. I caught glimpses of Emily, Sam's girlfriend, a lot, which made me think I was in Sam's house. Which was kind of weird, considering he's never talked to me, like, ever. He just gave me those weird looks, like I was…special or something.

And then there were _voices. _

Sam, Jake, and Paul's voices filled my head, relating the old Quileute stories I used to hear when I was a kid, and the ones my dad keeps on thinking are real. They weaved in and out of my dreams, and I kept having nightmares about vampires and werewolves and stuff. Nothing that you'd understand. I don't _want _to describe what I saw, so let's just leave it at that.

Some things I knew weren't real—I mean, vampires and werewolves just _don't _exist. Those…_creatures _in those stories are just fake. Nothing to get excited about, and certainly _nothing _to really believe in at sixteen. Well, _almost _sixteen. Two weeks isn't a long time.

Yet, there were times when I thought that those glowing red eyes meant something. There were moments where I completely and totally believed in what I saw. And, deep inside, I knew that my dream of transforming into a wolf wasn't a dream at all.

It was like I was torn apart: my brain was telling me that everything was just some big _lie, _and yet…it seemed as if my heart, as weird as that sounds, was telling me that my whole _life _was a lie. That, the story of werewolves and vampires, the _Cold Ones_ and the Quileutes, was as real as I was going to get.

I don't know how long I stayed like this, locked inside my own mind, but gradually, I began to see without hallucinating. I was conscious longer (like, five seconds compared to the previous two), and I gradually began to realize that the voices in my head kept me from going insane all along. Those stories were what I clung to, what made me hope against all hope that it was all real. So I can know that I in fact was _not crazy. _

There was one time, when I was wide awake, I found myself sitting on the patio for no apparent reason. I later found out it was to get me "fresh air." What a pathetic excuse.

Anyways, Emily was sitting by my bed (it was outside as well), stroking some sort of blanket or something…

Wait a minute. A furry blanket that shivered?

That furry "blanket" was no blanket at all.

This was the first time I saw a werewolf. Sam's eyes glared back at me, and blinked once.

I don't remember much after that. I think I fainted.

But, before the amnesia comes in, I distinctly remember thinking whether I wanted to be sane at all.

Because it wasn't _me _who was crazy, it was _my life._

And no one, _not _one, would believe that I, Jacob Black, was a werewolf.

Jane's POV

Jane was not culpable of weakness. She never was, even before she became a vampire. Since her human birth, she has always strived to be the best, and she was. She was proud. She was dangerous.

Yet this new vampire was testing her limits of patience. And capabilities.

Without Demetri, tracking the dark-skinned vampire would have been impossible. His constant disappearances and reappearances had even given Demetri trouble. Jane wanted to kill him and be done with it. One less troublemaker to worry about, she reasoned. What difference did it make? She was only doing her job, after all.

Yet Aro insisted that the boy must remain unscathed. She couldn't believe the very thought came out of his mouth.

"But," Jane argued when Aro gave out the orders, "Do you know how many rules he has broken?"

"He hasn't broken any rules, Jane," Aro said gently. "His capabilities could make him very…useful to the Volturi. Possibly even more valuable than _you_."

In response, Jane looked at the vampire next to her, who instantly fell to the floor, writhing. She felt a little thriff go through her, as always, whenever she used her power. She looked back at Aro, and the writhing stopped. She ignored the vampire moaning on the ground, and said "How valuable can he possibly be?"

"Oh, it's not just him," Aro clarified, his eyes going wide. "His…what would you call it nowadays…"

"Girlfriend," Jane offered irritably.

"Yes, _girlfriend, _has startling capabilities as well. I don't think even _they _know all of their powers yet. And frankly," Aro chuckled, "neither do we."

It took all of her control not to unleash her powers on her master. Yet she prevailed, and walked as stiffly out of the room as possible until she was far enough away for Aro not to hear her victims's screaming as she unleashed her fury on the closest creature she could find. Preferably human. Their pitiful whining made her feel much better.

So there she was, watching the target as he stood in the middle of a crowded beach, wreaking havoc on every sole inhabitant. Her fingernails dug into her palms as she witnessed every Volturi Rule being broken in about thirty seconds.

Jane began to believe that for the first time in her life, she was witnessing a vampire gone insane. For the boy was just standing in the middle of the beach while all chaos occurred, _shaking _his head. All of her previous victims she'd been ordered to kill either ran away or attacked anyone in sight.

"Should we get him?" Demetri whispered, his eyes on the vampire.

Jane shook her head. "No. I want to see what he does." Despite her better judgment, Jane found herself absorbed on the target. She was quite startled with the realization. She'd never been like this before. She desperately tried to get the thought out of her head.

The dark-haired boy continued to stand still for another minute, shaking his head sadly. Jane squinted her eyes. There was something different about him…

And then all of a sudden he jumped into the air, higher than Jane had ever seen a vampire jump, and wiggled his shoulders a bit, and something protruded from his back like wings…

Wings…

"What is it?" Demetri whispered, unable to contain his shock. Jane narrowed her eyes, staring at the ground, to the flying vampire, to Demetri.

"There's no way I could jump that high," Jane muttered. She was, for the first time, in awe of another vampire. She'd never seen such strength. She stood up, and Demetri rose with her. "Throw me toward the vampire," she ordered.

He stared at Jane as if she were crazy. "Uh…"

"_Throw me!" _Jane screeched.

Demetri shrugged, and grabbed Jane by the arms. Whirling her around twice, he suddenly let go.

The sensation was pleasant, almost exhilarating, as she glided toward the other vampire. For about half a second, Jane was able to see that the wing-like appendages were actual _wings. _She could barely contain her shock.

The other vampire didn't notice Jane shooting through the air toward him. Jane smiled. Still the best, she thought, as she rammed into the vampire. They both hurtled toward the ground.

The other vampire was quick, and elbowed Jane in the stomach before she could react. However, lightening fast, she delivered a blow to the vampire's neck, who seemed to block it with ease. This new vampire startled Jane. He seemed to already be knowledgeable in fighting as she ever was. Perhaps more so. Yet, at first glance, he seemed to be no more than fifteen. His eyes were bright crimson. He was so young. How was this possible?

They hit the ground, and sand flew up everywhere. Demetri dove out of the way, but was up in a flash, standing next to Jane.

"_Help me!" _Jane shrieked, as the other vampire attempted to squirm out of reach.

"Let go of me!" he yelled, punching Jane in the face. She restrained herself from breaking his neck. Demetri wrapped his arms around the boy's legs.

Yet the boy wasn't going to give up the fight. He rolled, once, twice, and broke free of Jane and Demetri's grip. He was on his feet, snarling. "Don't come any closer," he sneered. "You'll regret it, I promise you."

Jane attacked in response.

The boy rolled out of the way quickly, and Jane whipped around, growling. "Demetri..." Jane muttered under her breath.

Demetri nodded, and was soon out of sight.

"What's the problem?" The dark haired vampire taunted. "Can't handle me on your own?"

"No," Jane said, shaking her head. "We can."

And before the vampire could lash back, Demetri appeared beside him, and stuck a needle in his arm.

The young vampire staggered back, instantly becoming woozy. "Whadyouguzdu?" he slurred.

Jane smiled. "It's an invention of Aro's," Jane explained. "Only works on vampires _like you." _

Jane pranced forward, anticipating the catch...

When suddenly, the vampire disappeared.

Jane stared at the spot, shocked. "Where is he?" Jane exclaimed.

Demetri sighed. "He teleported again."

Jane's scream of fury echoed throughout the beach.

**Let's go for 378!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!**

**Like the chapter?! Then review. These chappies will come out faster!**

**I like Jane's point of view. I think she'll be in my next chapters...**

**378. Let's go…**


	31. Chapter 31

**So, guys. So sorry about not updating fast enough. Couldn't really write. Life ain't so good right now…but, you know, whatevs.**

**Anyways, there was this reviewer who thought that the changing POV's were confusing and stuff, so I'll try not to make it so. Letting you all know, I'll probably fail.**

**Fang came out. It was pretty good.**

**A story to recommend. One-Afterlife, by Halfhope. It's a Hunger Games Fanfiction. It's awesome, let me tell you.**

**NOW, ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (There's a possibility…all that I am...was all I…don't know the rest the words…MMMMMM!)**

Fang's POV

I don't know how long I was unconscious, but by the time I woke up, it was dark. Looking around, I willed myself to stay calm, to _not _freak out. I didn't know where the heck I was.

I didn't like that.

I jumped up, my eyes darting from left to right, scanning the perimeter, looking for those vampire _freaks _who had attacked me earlier and injected that crap into my system, 'Aro's Invention' and all that. What kind of name was Aro anyway?

I was still on a beach. The palm trees were swaying in the wind, and the ocean breeze whipped across my skin. Yet I wasn't cold, for some reason. Must be a vampire thing.

There was not a soul around, which made me think it was earlier in the morning. I looked to my left, and noticed a whole city sprawled behind me. A city that looked vaguely familiar…

I snapped my fingers. Venice Beach. Hollywood_. _Beach Bunnies. Chocolate Ice Cream. Right. I smiled to myself for a moment, and then a black thought entered my head, and I became stone once again.

For the first time in a long time, I felt completely alone, isolated, you know? There was no one here, no one to talk to. In one way, it was kind of nice. There was no one chasing me (that I knew of, at least), no photographers, no babbling, mindless, senseless talk that filled my brain every day. But, it was weird at the same time, like I had a chunk of my heart missing. Where was life?

I looked at the ground. Where was my family? Sappy Fang doesn't come very often, but when he does, he comes _hard._

I sat down, and pondered. I need to get everything straight.

Holding out my hand, I ticked off the list of thorns in my side.

Number One: I wasn't normal

Number Two: As in, I was an avian-vampire _hybrid, _which wasn't even normal for vampires. I am just one special kid, I'm telling you.

Number Three: I'm extremely hungry. Which means I have to have some O+ _right _away.

Number Four: Eating involves killing. I don't like to kill, even with my deadly good looks.

Number Five: There are some vampires chasing me. _This _is a big shocker, let me tell you. Usually it's _people. _Like, insanely rich people (emphasis on the _ insanely _part). But _vampires? _If there was a popularity contest, I would win hands down.

Number 6: I could turn invisible while moving. Kind of cool, actually.

Number 7: I could teleport and duplicate. I don't like the duplicate part. But, then again, that would be so freaky if I called myself. You know, I should try that...focus, Fang. Focus.

Number 8: I had no idea how I got here. Or to Bella's House. Or to the beach before. I just sort of thought of it and took a step and…

I sat up, my eyes wide. I didn't even know I was lying down. I must have fell asleep.

"That's it," I muttered. "Think and step." Instantly, I thought of Bella's house. Maybe Max'll be there. And _not _Edward. God, I hated that guy...in a sorty of like-despising way. Weird.

I made a move to stand up, when an annoying voice called out, "Hey you!"

There was a man jogging toward me in a policeman uniform, with a flashlight in his hand. "No loitering on the beach!" He warbled, spraying spit into my face as he got closer.

I raised an eyebrow. "I was just about to leave." I sniffed, and then my throat caught. Something smelled pretty good…

He peered at me. "How old are you?"

For a moment, I didn't answer. My throat was dry, and my mouth was watering as I stared at the guy's throat. My mind was cloudy.

_Snap out of it, _I thought, before shaking my head real hard. I tried to avoid breathing.

"Hey, son, you need to come with me." The policeman grabbed my hand.

My eyes snapped toward him, and I felt a growl rise up in my throat. "Take you hands off me," I snarled. Who did this guy think he was?

His eyes widened, and I could tell I was scaring the bajeebers out of him. That scent lingered in my nostrils, and I breathed in deeply.

"Now, come along, young man," he attempted to growl, tugging on my arm.

"Take your hands _off me!"_ I ordered again, standing perfectly still.

With shaky fingers, the policeman reached down into his pocket…for a gun.

In a blink of an eye, I threw my arm into his chest, not hard, but enough to break some bones. I heard them with a satisfying _crack. _He fell to the ground, coughing up blood as his gun fell out of his hands.

I watched the blood trickle from his chin into the sand, and my eyes grew wide. Then I was kneeling at his neck, leaning in, willing myself to taste that crimson heaven…

"Don't…kill me," he slurred, before sinking into unconsciousness. His eyes rolled to the back of his skull, and his head fell on the sand with a _thump. _

The clouds dissipated. My teeth were bared, inches from his throat, and I blinked several times. I looked down at the man, and something was sticking out of his pocket. Bewildered, I took it out and stared at the piece of paper.

It was a picture. The policeman was posing in front of Venice Beach with two other people. The woman had long blonde hair, a white smile, and freckles. Her sunglasses were perched on the top of her head, and she was actually pretty good-looking. I guessed that it was his wife.

In front of the policeman and his wife, there was a boy my age, with blonde hair and clear blue eyes. He was smiling, too. The family looked happy.

I fell on my butt pretty hard. I almost killed this kid's father. _I ALMOST KILLED HIM. _

I had that same bewildered expression when the other police cars arrived. I didn't even protest as they looked from me, to the unconscious policeman, and to the blood spilling out of his mouth. The rib poking out of his body wasn't a happy sign either.

You know, I didn't even 'think and step' when they shoved me into the police car.

But I _did _growl as the driver and the guy in the passenger seat gave me creepy smiles. I recognized them instantly.

Let me give you a hint.

They were vampires.

Iggy's POV

Being surrounded by a bunch of crying kids is not my idea of fun. And it was kind of weird, because this has happened a lot in the past couple of days. Like, once every three hours.

Like I said, _not _my idea of fun.

Bella came out of the bathroom, and sat on the bed, staring at nothing. It was kind of creepy. After the crying fest died down, we all kind of just _stared _at her. Pretty rude, I know, but if you saw her face, you'd be gawking too, trust me.

So, we decided to leave her alone in her misery, and went on a little stroll outside…in the sky.

"Hey, Iggy, do you think—"

"Gazzy, buddy," I interrupted. "I'm trying not to think about anything right now. Let's just…_fly." _

"But, do you think those werewolves are going to attack us?"

This brought me out of my happy place. I stared down at the ground. Of course, I didn't see anything.

"Where are they?"

"Well, there's only one," Nudge pointed out. "He's right below us…running with us."

"He wants to talk to us," Angel said. I heard a _whoosh, _and I knew Angel had abandoned us. Does _anyone _listen anymore?

There were a few more whooshes, and I realized I was alone. There were some cold pricks on my arm, and I realized it was raining. Again.

When was it not raining here in this stupid town...rhetorical question, people.

I plunged down toward the trees, sensing where everything was. It was weird. And then I got a flash of something.

"Whoa!" I said, backpedaling. Too late.

I smacked the tree anyway.

I didn't care. I lay on the grass, hearing the footsteps of winged children heading my way, and another set of footsteps. A werewolf's footsteps. But that's not what I was freaking out about.

_I saw that tree. _

"Iggy! I'm so sorry!" Gazzy apologized when he was close enough. "I shouldn't have left you like that."

"I just saw that tree!"

"I'm so stupid—"

"There's a tree _right there!" _I yelled. "Are you listening to what I'm _saying? I saw that tree!" _

Complete silence. Then a deep voice broke the awe. "Uh, what are you talking about?"

"If your thick brain hasn't noticed, Jacob, I'm blind. Yet I saw that tree a second ago. It's right there." I got up and walked over to the spot. I stuck out my fist.

It connected to the bark with a sharp _thwack. _

**OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! He can see!!!!**

**I'm going back to Ig's POV next chapter. Edward's too. Excellent…excellent…**

**Sorry this is kind of short. Let's go for 395!!! And if we get four hundred, I'll update two chapters!!!!!!!!**


	32. Chapter 32

Okay guys. You're awesome. Some people (well, one) said this was getting boring, so I'm sorry 'bout that.

**Just wanted to get that out there.**

NOW ON WITH THE STORY!!!! MWHAHAHAHA!!!!

Max's POV

There are a lot of things that just tick me off. I'm not even going to bother explaining it all, because if I did, I'd still be telling it when I'm dead. Which, you guessed it, won't be in a while.

So there you go.

But I gotta say, it was kind of nice, sitting in Edward's car, trying not to think about the flock, or Fang, or those Volturi people, or Fang. The School.

And, you know…_Fang. _

I wondered what he was up to. I've never been so far away from him for so long, and I started getting all twitchy just thinking about him. I had no idea where the heck he was, and that was the largest tick of all sucking at my brain….ha! Get it? You know, _ticks _are sucking at my brain, and I'm a vampire, you know…? You are all _deadbeats _if you're not spilling your guts. Do you hear me? Deadbeats.

"You know," Edward cut in, interrupting my thoughts. "We're almost on the Californian border and you haven't spoken once."

I allowed myself a smile. "What does it matter? You can hear everything I'm saying." I tapped my forehead knowingly.

He chuckled. "Well, yes, but you've mostly been thinking about one person." He snickered, and turned the radio down. I blinked. There was soft music playing, and I actually recognized it.

"This is Claire de Lune, isn't it?" I said quietly.

His head snapped to me, and I stared into his eyes. I could tell I hit a hot spot. "How do you know that?" He said.

I shrugged. "I don't like that pop music. It's too hectic. But this stuff…" I closed my eyes. "It relaxes me. I used to listen to it all the time." I leaned my head against the car seat, and took a deep breath.

I could hear Edward's grip on the wheel tighten. "This was one of Bella's favorite songs. Debussy was playing the first time she rode in the car with me." He stared at the road, and he almost looked…_angry. _

"You know, Edward, at times like these, I always think about one thing…"

"Yeah? What's that?" His monotone clearly showed he wasn't in the partying mood. I didn't pay attention, 'cause, you know, I'm _me. _

"Well, life sucks doesn't it?"

"You know, shockingly, this doesn't make me feel any better."

"And life just never seems to let up on you," I barreled on. I started smiling. "But it doesn't really matter, 'cause you'll just die eventually." There was a pause, and then I started laughing.

Edward just stared, his eyes bugging out like Bugs Bunny himself, not even looking at the road, I mean, he seemed so startled he didn't look depressed at all. Man, if I had a camera….

And soon, I was laughing so hard I couldn't stop. The reality of it all kind of got to me, as it usually does at the worst times.

And then someone stepped out in the middle of the road.

"_Stop the car!" _I yelled, suddenly breaking out of my intense, infinitesimal moment of insanity.

Edward was already ahead of me. The Volvo was already screeching to a stop, and the man stood right in the middle of the road. And he was wearing a white lab coat.

I almost jumped out the car. I mean, crash-through-the-window-beat-the-man-to-pulp kind of jump. But, I'm growing out of that thing. Becoming a vampire has changed my inner soul. Mad me a deeper kind of girl.

So instead, I got out of the car, walked over to the scientist, and in a flash, he was three feet off the ground, with me holding him by the scruff of his collar. Edward stared from me to the man, wondering what I'd do. I ignored him.

"So why are you bothering me, Jeb?" I snarled.

Fang's POV

I couldn't believe my luck, sitting in the back seat of a police car, staring at two vamps who, I'm taking a wild guess here, want to kill me. Just like about every other person on this _earth _wants to kill me. I mean, call me a _leprechaun_ and throw me a _coin_.

"Jane…" The dude vamp muttered, looking like he was about to bolt out of the car. God, I must look like the Angel of Death, because I'm just awesome like that, with the black wings and everything.

The girl—Jane—glanced at him sharply. Holding his gaze for a second, she turned to me. "You just won't hold still, will you?" she questioned, resting her petite hands on the leather and cocking her head, like I was a little kid who needed to go to the bathroom. How upsetting. I mean, do I _look _like I'm three?

"See, here's the problem," I pointed out. "Despite popular belief, I am a being on this earth who has _feelings. _And with people following me around, trying to put me in black bags and injecting me with poison and such, it all makes me slightly, uh, _uncomfortable._"

I got blank looks. Wasn't surprised.

Then Jane's mouth twitched, and the smile grew. "But, here's the problem with _you,_" she said, entwining her fingers together. "You've broken several Volturi laws. You pose a dangerous threat for all we've worked for to restore secrecy."

I raised an eyebrow. "Of what? Vampires?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, good luck with that," I muttered under my breath. "Can't even control a fifteen year old kid."

The guy on the left spoke up. "Yeah, a fifteen year old, newly born vampire with _wings, _with greater strength and speed than we've ever seen. And who bounce to different regions like an Easter Bunny. Possibly duplicate. _Real_ easy," he snarled in my face.

Well, he did have a point…

"So before you transport your way out of our grasp," Jane said, her eyes almost black, "We have a little deal we want to make with you."

I stayed silent, fuming on the inside. I was in deep, and they knew it, the freaks.

"So!" Jane started, looking at the vampire to her left. "Demetri has been tracking you across the country since your little…accident with the dogs in the Olympian peninsula."

I sat up, my eyes wide as I stared at her. How has she been keeping track of me? What kind of crap was this?

Jane smiled, clearly enjoying this. Well, how would she like it when my hands are wrapped around her neck? I think we all know the answer to this one.

"We've been watching you for quite a while," The boy—Demetri—added in. "And it was easy. That is, until you started bouncing around the continent."

"It's becoming quite troublesome," Jane continued. "And showing yourself in broad daylight on a Florida _Beach _is ridiculous. If Aro didn't give the order to keep you alive becomes of certain—situations—I would have snapped your neck before you could disappear in smoke."

I narrowed my eyes. "Certain situations…" And as in, _situations_, she meant _alliances_, and as in _certain_, she meant _The School. _

But I couldn't argue with her. I couldn't do anything except listen.

"And while we were observing your…family…we noticed a certain favor you showed toward the older female—Max, is it?"

My mind went blank. In an instant, I threw myself at her neck, not caring if I was killed, not caring about anything but wringing that girl's evil neck.

Yet Demetri anticipated my reaction even before I processed what Jane was saying. His arm was poised in front of Jane, his arm taunt, and I smashed into it at about one hundred miles an hour.

I was hurled back into the seat, and I actually broke the leather and dented the seat, so I was stuck. And slightly dazed. Not because of the blow, but because it was totally impossible. _This was not happening to me. _

"As we can both see," Jane blundered on, as if I hadn't almost wrung her neck. "Your temper is slightly erratic. So here's the deal."

She leaned in close. I tried to wiggle out of the seat, but her hand shot out and pinned me. I could tell she was straining to hold me, and Demetri helped her out. I could tell she didn't like that. But she pretended not to notice.

She continued to lean in, until her cheek tickled my skin. I shivered.

"You're going to come with us without a fight," she slurred. "We're going to take you to Volturra. You'll do anything we say, and then in Germany, you will be…observed. There won't be a struggle. There won't be a fight."

This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening—

"And if you struggle, if you _tell _anyone, or if you even _look at us _in a way that would make us suspicious…

"I will gather your family together. I will torture them…"

And if possibly she leaned even closer while I shook uncontrollable. She breathed in my ear. "And I will save Max for last. Everyone will watch as I torture you. I'll kill her, _and everyone will watch." _

The whole car was shaking. My mind was a wave, crashing into my heart, piercing it with the salt, the concealed daggers hidden beneath the serf, stabbing me, gouging my eyes out. I sat perfectly still, willing myself to stay conscious. But I was slipping.

Jane kissed my cheek and drew back just enough to look in my eyes.

"And that is a promise."

**OHHHHHHHHH!!!! That is spicy!**

**Let's go to...410. That's right, 'cause you're awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	33. Chapter 33

Iggy's POV

Good news: I heard a lot of gasps, and I imagined everyone's eyes bugging out like bush babies.

Bad news: I had just hit a _tree. _With my bare _hands. _And despite my awesome strength and general amazingness, it hurt.

Like, _immensely._

"Wow. That is a lot of blood…" Jacob slurred uncertainly.

"Awww, he's fine," Nudge assured, and I heard a slap: she'd just smacked Jacob…playfully? Is she crazy?

"Okay, Nudge," I said, scooting over and grabbing her arm. Pulling her toward me, I patted her head and did the best I could to glare at Jacob. When was my eyesight when I needed it? "Now that we know I'm _not _going to die, what do you want?"

There was a pause, and I imagined Jacob running his fingers through his hair; I heard little wispy sounds that usually come with the motions. "See…I don't know. I was hoping you could tell me what just happened, I guess. I mean, who are you?"

"And that," I said, smirking, "Is an excellent question. We're all mutants, created in a lab to sprout wings," I extended them slightly, "and fly around like hawks and stuff. As I recall, you heard this at the hospital before you went completely berserk. Okay, goodbye!" I tried scooting everyone out of there, but it was quite hard, considering I couldn't exactly tell where they _were…_

"No, _wait!" _Jacob yelled, grabbing my arm.

I stopped, and without even glanced at him, I said, "Take your hand off of me." I sounded pretty deadly, or at least, a little threatening, because he let go immediately.

"Please," Jacob begged (I liked the sound of his groveling). "Sam says to check up on you every once in a while. He says you're dangerous. Are you?"

I said what was true. "Yes."

This clearly wasn't enough from the insightful Jacob. I was surprised to hear him ask a pretty good question.

I heard the shuffling of feet; he was nervous. "When?"

I was confused. "When what?"

"When are you dangerous?"

I had to think about that for a minute.

Angel spoke up. Grabbing my hand tightly, she murmured, "We're dangerous when we have to be."

"Yeah!" Gazzy threw in. "When, like, people want to kill us."

Nudge added, "Not only people. Robots. Mutants. Stuff like that."

"Oh," Jacob huffed. "Well, then, I'll come around every now and then and look after you guys. Where are you staying?"

"Up at Bella's," I said, pointing in the general direction. Or what I _thought _was the general direction.

I heard nothing, and then Jacob sighed loudly, like he was trying to catch his breath. He seemed tired, and though barely two seconds ago my girlfriend was—dare I say it?—_flirting _with him, I felt kind of bad for him.

"How are you holding up?" I asked. "With the whole werewolf deal?"

He sighed again. "It's hard. Everyday I wake up and for a few seconds I still think I'm…_me. _And then the next moment I spot a giant wolf bounding outside my window." He laughed humorlessly. "It's like that for everyone. Yet all the same…" he trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

I knew exactly how he felt. Sometimes I'd dream and wake up expecting to open my eyes and see Nudge beside me, the sky, that green grass I feel beneath my fingertips. Yet all remains black, and reality rolls over my consciousness with a vengeance.

"Hey, you want to come with us?" I blurted out before realizing I was even _thinking _the idea. Hmm…maybe I shouldn't have opened my mouth…

"What?" Jacob asked, sounding bewildered.

"Do you want to come to Bella's with us? She'll want to see you," Angel said seriously.

"Yeah!" Jacob, said, his woe-is-me attitude completely dissolved. I felt like punching him. Here am I, attempting to reach out a consoling hand of sympathy, and now he's bouncing around like he'd drunk a pack of Happy Juice.

Well, of course, I'm not sure _what _he was doing at the moment, but by his voice he was pretty damn happy about something. And I'm guessing his happiness has nothing to do with me trying to make him feel better.

Then the genius seemed to realize that he was just a little too happy for the present circumstances. "Uh, I mean, yeah, I guess I could take a look around, see if it's safe and all." He cleared his throat.

I decided what to do. I mean, we could all just fly up and get high in the clouds, he wouldn't find us until it was too late. I could whack him with a baseball bat. I could discreetly trip him—when he gets all ticked off and springs into his wolf form and attacks me or whatever, I could beat him like a piece of meat. While Nudge was _watching_. And then she'll kiss me and we'll ride off into the sunset—

"Yeah, whatever," I said, sounding indifferent. I flipped out my wings and jumped in the air without preamble. The rest followed, and I heard distinct ripping noises. Jacob was running below us.

And for a moment I didn't care. I didn't think about anything, just the wind casing my body with chill, the wisps of clouds engulfing me with droplets of moisture, the slight flutter of Gazzy's wings tickling mine, guiding me…

"Uh, Iggy?" Gazzy said uncertainly.

I snapped out of my dream world. "What?" I snarled, more than a little irked.

"We're going the wrong way."

Max's POV

I couldn't really believe what I was seeing. Over the past week, I've been kissed, killed and transformed into something I've never thought actually existed. My heart has been broken, sewn, and ripped apart because Fang—someone who the Voice thought was my soul mate—said that he did not love me. And Edward was there for me when I needed it most.

So, all of these things points to _what? _

That my life is pretty much as bad as it gets. And then, of course, it gets even worse.

And that was _before _Jeb just sprouts out of nowhere. I mean, did he _want _to get killed?

Well, it doesn't matter what he wants anyway, because it isn't his choice.

It was _mine. _

I have to admit, the whole picking-people-up-by-the-meager-scruffs-of-their-shirt usually sets people off. Makes them completely freak out. Yet Jeb stared back at me, holding himself up slightly by gripping my arm gently. "Now, Max…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I muttered. My burst of anger was gone, and I ended up dropping him. I turned my back to him as he picked himself up off of the ground. Edward was staring at me curiously, and I opened my mind, letting him know who Jeb was. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at my father.

"What do you want?" I asked bluntly, staring at the mountains.

"Max," Jeb began. I imagined him straightening his stupid little glasses on his stupid little head. "You have to try to understand that I'm only trying to—"

"Help," I cut in, finishing his sentence before he could get it out. "Yeah, I've heard that before. Yet here I am, a mutant, because of you, and a freaking vampire, and there _you _are, _not helping." _

Jeb sighed…and it sounded long and winded, blowing out steadily and loudly. I noticed purple bruises under his eyes. He looked tired. And, wouldn't you know it, my heart leaked. All of those things he did to me, what he did to _us…_for a second, it just…disappeared.

"I know, Max…" he said. His eyes grew red and shiny. "You can't imagine how I feel about what I've done with The School, the flock…and with you. But I'm trying to make up for it. You just need to give me a chance." Okay, evil Jeb, I was used to. This remorseful one? No amount of Valium would have diluted me to believe _that _was ever going to happen.

Yet my heart was still leaking, and I glanced down at my hand, shimmering in the sun like a thousand twinkling stars. And I realized that I could blame Jeb for everything that's ever happened. I could yell at him for years about the freaking wings, the freaking _sparkles…_but was it going to help?

Hell no.

"How do you want to help me?" I murmured, closing my eyes, refusing to look at Edward's startling gaze, and Jeb—my father—staring at his shoes like a 5-year-old who ate the forbidden cookie out of the forbidden cookie jar.

Jeb had been staring at his shoes, and I heard his neck crack. My eyes weren't open, but I could _see _him…I could see him staring at me with an expression I haven't seen in a long time. An expression I trusted.

"I'm here to give you a warning, Max.

"There will come a time in the future when you will be tested beyond measure. Itex is back, Max. I'm sure you know this. And we will need you. Not just me, not just the Cullens, not just the flock, but the _world._"

I sucked in breath, snapping open my eyes. So this was finally it? Now? At this _freaking moment? _

"Fang will need you. He needs you now, more than ever. And you need him."

"He doesn't give a rat's ass about me," I said quietly. "Edward read his mind. He hates my guts because I tried to drink his blood." Despite my dead tone, I was laughing a little. The sentence sounded so weird when I said it. The "he hates me" part. Not the "because I tried to drink his blood" part.

Just got to be clear with you all.

Edward looked away, his eyes at the ground. He was clenching his fists. He's probably thinking of Bella, I thought sadly. Poor guy.

Jeb looked slightly irritated, and the parental look that was on his face vanished like Harry Potter under his invisibility cloak. "You'll realize soon enough that you're not right about everything, Max. I hope it's too late when you finally do."

And with that last loving statement, he walked back toward his car, stepped in, and drove off without a last word.

And my heart was cemented shut.


End file.
